9.29.21 NPC

America’s best weekly

COURIER EXCLUSIVE Dr. Anthony Hamlet’s exit interview Page A2

Pittsburgh Courier NEW

www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 112 No. 39 Two Sections

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00

The ‘Divine Nine’ forever entrenched at Pitt Black Greek organizations celebrate plot unveiling placed in the heart of campus

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Part of Kenyon Bonner’s job as Vice Provost of Student Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh is to ask students about why they chose to come to Pitt, and their overall student experience.

One of those students’ responses, about five years ago, stunned Bonner. The student said when they were visiting Pitt as an incoming freshman, they had no idea if Pitt had historically African American fraternities and sororities on its campus.

At that moment, Bonner said: “We gotta do something about this.”

More than 1,000 people, mostly members of the “Divine Nine” Black Greek letter organizations, on Sept. 25 congregated at the heart of Pitt’s campus in Oakland, the Schenley Quadrangle, to watch the highly-anticipated unveiling of the Divine Nine Plot.

After hearing from speakers such as Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, National Pan Hellenic Council

National President Vanetta Cheeks Reeder and Pitt Alumni President Valerie Njie, the lever was pulled and the sizable plot which was years in the making was unveiled to applause and admiration.

Plots are constructed to symbolically and physically represent each Black Greek letter organization’s presence on college campuses and to give alumni and current members a location for reflection and celebration. The plot at Pitt spans roughly 50 feet in length and 10 feet in height, complete with the iconic symbol of each organization, along with flowers and names of some of the contributors that helped make the $150,000 plot come to fruition.

“This is another way to make it very known to students that National Pan Hellenic Council organizations exist on this campus,” Bonner told the New Pittsburgh Courier in an exclusive interview after the unveiling.

Black Greek letter organizations “represent a time that we don’t forget,” Bon-

LONGTIME MEMBERS of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.—Diana Jaden, Dr. Tiffany Lewis, Phyllis Johnson, Lafay Pinchback, Valerie Njie, Tracey Gillard. They are standing next to the plot honoring the Deltas, which is now cemented on the University of Pittsburgh campus. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.) ner added, “where we were on White college campuses and we didn’t feel welcomed. We didn’t feel like we belonged and it was hard to create that community and that cohesion,

CAPA graduate Carter Redwood plays major role on CBS show

SEE DIVINE NINE A4

‘FBI International’ airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

by Renee P. Aldrich For New Pittsburgh Courier

LONGTIME MEMBERS of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Emma Lucas Darby and Toni Kendrick, stand next to the plot honoring the AKAs, which is now cemented on the University of Pittsburgh campus. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.) NEW

Pittsburgh Courier To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 ext. 136

Carter Redwood has become a name to remember.

He attended Carnegie Mellon University on a full scholarship, and at the end of his four years, he not only graduated Cum Laude, but also walked away with a wheelbarrow full of awards, including “actor of the year.” He was also the commencement speaker for the school of arts and sciences.

His acting chops were established at the early age of 10 when he was approached by Mark Southers, founder and artistic director of the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, to play the role of Southers’ son in “When the Water Runs Clear,” a play written by Southers himself. This was the beginning and place where Redwood said he “got bit by the acting bug.”

Almost 20 years later, Redwood finds himself on a screen that everyone can see, no cable needed—he won a role in CBS television’s new series, “FBI International,” which airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

Redwood, the homegrown hero with roots in the Hill District and a Pittsburgh Public Schools graduate (CAPA, 2010), plays Andre Raines, an FBI special agent who is part of the “Fly Team.”

It’s a prominent role alongside three other

CARTER REDWOOD special agents who collectively are the central cast members.

The filming is currently taking place in Budapest, where Redwood is living for the next 8-9 months.

In a video conversation with the New Pittsburgh Courier, he discussed this amazing opportunity, sharing the depth of his gratitude for the support

he has received during the entirety of his theatrical journey.

“I have been supported from Day 1, not just by my family but by the community in Pittsburgh who were aware of my dream,” Redwood, 29, said. “It is this love and support that I do not take SEE REDWOOD A3

METRO

A2 SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

COURIER EXCLUSIVE

DR. ANTHONY HAMLET— THE EXIT INTERVIEW Outgoing Pittsburgh Public Schools superintendent says he was a man on a mission—and mission accomplished

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Anthony Hamlet, Ed.D., in an exclusive interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier on Tuesday, Sept.

28, said he was a man on a mission—to improve student achievement and decrease disparities in minority students’ achievement.

“We’ve done that work,” Dr. Hamlet said. “We’ve set the district up in a way that if that focus continues, then that work will continue. Every academic area over the last five years, we’ve increased.

We’ve increased our graduation rates, especially for African American males, but females as well. We’ve also drastically reduced the number of out-ofschool suspensions, the number of citations and arrests for our African American students and all of our students. For me, it’s about performance.”

On Oct. 1, Dr. Hamlet will officially resign as superintendent of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the second-largest school district in Pennsylvania, nestled in a region that’s all about education.

One would have thought Dr. Hamlet was the President of the United States, with so many people approving of the job he’s done as PPS leader, and others blatantly expressing their disapproval of the former

University of Miami football standout.

But no matter what people thought, Dr. Hamlet reiterated to the Courier that his focus was always on the students, and what was best for them.

In what could be called an “exit interview,” Dr. Hamlet spoke openly with the Courier on topics ranging from his accomplishments during his five-year reign as PPS superintendent, to how Pittsburgh, as a city, feels about having a Black superintendent, to his ultimate message to the 20,000 or so students that call Pittsburgh Public Schools home.

Under Dr. Hamlet’s tenure, graduation rates for African American students increased each year from 2015 to 2019; the percentage number of students in grades 3 through 8 who performed “Below Basic” in Science decreased by double digits from 2015 to 2019; and the percent of African American students who scored “proficient or advanced” increased on 8 of 14 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams in 2019.

Dr. Hamlet also touted the creation of a new Career and Technical Education Early Childhood Program that was created at Pittsburgh Milliones, the acquisition of a $75,000 grant from Google to Pittsburgh Obama 6-12 for technological improve-

ments for its STEM program, and the addition of Positive Behavior Supports and Interventions (PBIS) in every school.

Still, Dr. Hamlet told the Courier in his candid manner that in ANTHONY HAMLET, ED.D., who has been the superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools since 2016, officially resigns public edu- on Oct. 1. cation, people aren’t always focused on what’s direct pipeline to the su- don’t hear that it’s not problem for some.” perintendent. “Ultimately, true, you just hear these Dr. Hamlet said that best for the students.

“Are we making an if we’re not having the stu- headlines, and that’s what he intends to assist the superintendent adult-centered decision dents’ voice in mind and begins to resonate in peo- interim when one is appointed on or are we making a stu- what their needs are and ple’s minds.”

Dr. Hamlet continued: Sept. 29 during the school dent-centered decision?” their feelings, then we’re is what Dr. Hamlet said missing what we’re doing “Also, one of the biggest board’s legislative meeting. he would always ask his in public education. And all ones is Andy Sheehan of “Although I’ll be removed staff. “All our decisions in too often, that is removed,” KDKA (TV). It’s a very from my role, my focus will

“Are we making an adult-centered decision or are we making a student-centered decision? All our decisions in public education should be around students, what’s best for students, and supporting the faculty and staff and getting the requisite skills and resources that they need to make it happen for the children in the classroom.”

- DR. ANTHONY HAMLET public education should be around students, what’s best for students, and supporting the faculty and staff and getting the requisite skills and resources that they need to make it happen for the children in the classroom.”

Dr. Hamlet said that there wasn’t any one person or group that wasn’t making decisions based on what’s best for the students, “but it’s about the system itself and how it’s designed.”

That’s why Dr. Hamlet was adamant in creating a Student Advisory Council, where students had a

THE NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER PUBLISHING COMPANY

Publication No.: USPS 381940 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-481-8302 Fax: 412-481-1360 The New Pittsburgh Courier is published weekly

he told the Courier.

Other accomplishments Dr. Hamlet touted were the drastic reduction in out-ofschool suspensions for primarily African American students, and eliminating Kindergarten through second grade suspensions for non-violent offenses, one of the many recommendations given to the district by the Council of the Great City Schools. Nearly 140 recommendations were given in all; about 95 of them had been completed prior to the pandemic, Dr. Hamlet said.

Dr. Hamlet was then asked if he felt there were people or organizations that tried to damage his professional reputation.

He replied: “Absolutely, and it’s very clear the intent, from the very time I came here, there were issues. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had its report, and madeup stories about me about plagiarism, (saying I had) wrong data on my resume, which all came out to be not true, but of course you

clear pattern of racist reporting when it comes to Dr. Hamlet out of Andy Sheehan’s mouth. There are several reports that he’s done that are completely false and defamatory and libelous in nature.”

The Courier then asked Dr. Hamlet if Pittsburgh, in general, is ready to have a longtime Black superintendent. There have only been three full-time African American city schools superintendents—John Thompson, Linda Lane and Dr. Hamlet. Dr. Hamlet replied: “It’s a problem.

It’s a problem. Why can’t Pittsburgh Public Schools get an African American male superintendent in a place of longevity to support the system?”

Dr. Hamlet said he believes some politicians have “budget envy,” and because PPS has a large budget of $700 million, even though much of it is non-discretionary, “still it’s that large number, that $700 million is in control of those (Black) individuals, and that becomes a

Periodicals paid at Pittsburgh, Pa. PRICE $1.00 (Payable in advance) 6 Months—$25 1 Year—$45 2 Years—$85 9-Month School Rate $35

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:

New Pittsburgh Courier 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ANTHONY HAMLET, ED.D., greeting PPS students. (Photo courtesy PublicSource)

still be on the success of Pittsburgh Public Schools in any way I can assist,” he told the Courier.

When Dr. Hamlet began his run as superintendent in July 2016, he began his “Look, Listen & Learn” tour, where he engaged with over 3,500 constituents, met with a plethora of faculty, students and support staff, and then implemented a five-year strategic plan to make PPS a better place for all.

He said he’ll be remaining in the Pittsburgh area for at least the next three months, as he looks forward to his next step in his professional career. But he told the Courier that he was wholly invested in the students at PPS, and supports have been put in place to ensure an upward trajectory for them.

“Students of PPS, do not lose faith,” Dr. Hamlet told the Courier. “Do not lose hope in the public school system. The system is changing and evolving and will continue. We left a team of individuals who understand what the needs are, understand the changes and understand the push that needs to come as a result. And they understand that there will be pushback; but they are built and designed to push through to create better outcomes for our students.

And ultimately for us, it’s about students.”

Dr. Hamlet added: “Are we making student-centered decisions or are we making adult-centered decisions? Ultimately, we should be in this business to do what’s best for children.”

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021 A3

CAPA graduate Carter Redwood plays major role on CBS show REDWOOD FROM A1

lightly, it is not lost on me.”

Redwood was living and working as an actor since he left Carnegie Mellon seven years ago. During this time, he has been featured in a number of stage and television productions, including the following television series: “The Long Road Home,” “Medic Pedro (Pete) Guzman,” and “Blue Bloods,” among others. His live stage appearances include “Fly,” a play about the Tuskegee Airmen, “Fences” and “Pipeline,” among many others.

The cast of “FBI: International” travels the world tracking threats against Americans abroad. Special Agent Raines, played by Redwood, uses his accounting background to track

how criminals move their money. It’s Redwood’s first regular series role.

“One of the ways that support is important, the life of an actor is that it acts as a buffer for the rejection,” Redwood told the Courier. “People see your successes, but what they don’t see is the times you are not selected. Being told ‘no’ over and over again can be crushing in this industry. If I was not championed by my family and my community, I’m sure the rejections would have done me in.”

It’s obvious the rejections only made him stronger.

Help! My fiancé wants to spend my entire life’s savings on our wedding!!

Read the one and only Damon Carr on page B1.

CARTER REDWOOD, left, plays Andre Raines on “FBI International” on CBS.

A4

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

The ‘Divine Nine’ forever entrenched at Pitt DIVINE NINE FROM A1

let alone to get students at these campuses but to keep them there.

These organizations were birthed out of, ‘We need to do something that makes sure that we are successful in college.’”

Pitt is one of just a handful of Predominantly White Institutions that has a Divine Nine plot on its campus; the first of its kind in Western Pennsylvania. Some other PWIs that have plots include Duke University, Arizona State University and Wake Forest University.

They’re pretty much a staple at HBCUs. It’s a good bet that the trend will continue of PWIs installing Divine Nine Plots on its campuses.

Chancellor Gallagher called the unveiling a “big, big moment for the university.”

He added: “These storied Greek organizations have created a bonded fellowship that for so many has been that home” for Black college students who, for decades, faced segregation and oppression. “This home was vitally important, and the importance hasn’t diminished.”

The organizations that comprise the Divine Nine are: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (founded in 1906, at Cornell University); Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1908, How-

OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC. — Pitt Vice Provost of Student Affairs Kenyon Bonner, Bobby Shoes, Larry Meadows. Pictured below is the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity portion of the Pitt Divine Nine Plot. (Photos by Rob Taylor Jr.) ard University); Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (1911, Indiana University); Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (1911, Howard University); Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (1913, Howard University); Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (1914, Howard University); Zeta Phi Beta Sorority,

Inc. (1920, Howard University); Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (1922, Butler University); Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. (1963, Morgan State University).

At Pitt, the first Black Greek letter organization was Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Omicron Chapter, in 1913. It’s the third-oldest fraternity or sorority chapter at Pitt.

Then came the Mu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority in 1921. Six other Black Greek organizations have been established on Pitt’s campus (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority).

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity does not have a chapter at the university, though it is represented on the Pitt plot and has chapters at other local universities like Duquesne, Robert Morris and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Chancellor Gallagher was elated that the plot is placed in such a central location on campus, where thousands of students pass, “so they can see the incredible role that these fraternities and sororities have played at the University of Pittsburgh.”

Reeder, who attended Allderdice High School, studied nursing at Pitt and became a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority; its Theta Nu Chapter was created in 1980 and Reeder joined a few years later. As the president of the National Pan Hellenic Council, few are bigger champions of Black Greek letter organizations than Reeder.

She called the unveiling “historical” and “meaningful.”

“Culturally, we’re connected as these Black Greek letter organizations had to form when we were not invited to the other places,” Reeder told the Courier. “...For (curSEE DIVINE NINE A5

DAVID WILLIAMS, charter member for the Eta Nu Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., pointing to his name displayed above on the plot for the organization.

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC. — Kayla King Scott, Lisa Stewart, Ruthie Walker, Tamara Butler, Kelli Ware, Erica Givner.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

PART OF THE PLOT HONORING Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. The Zetas will be featured in the Oct. 6 Courier edition for its 50th anniversary of the Xi Delta Chapter at Pitt.

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

A5

PART OF THE PLOT HONORING Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INC.—EDGAR UNTHANK, ANGELO REEDER

DIVINE NINE FROM A4

rent and future students) to know that they’re (Divine Nine organizations) officially here and they have a history, and a place, is not just marketing for the university, but adding to the diversity and the enrichment of the culture.”

Reeder said while academics play an important role in a student’s choice where to attend college, one cannot forget about the social impact. Oftentimes, being a member of a Black Greek organization runs in the family—a student’s mother may be, say, an AKA or Delta, and that student may choose one school over another simply because there is an AKA or Delta chapter at that school.

For Bonner, he always wanted to be a Que (Omega Psi Phi Fraternity).

But the school he attended as an undergraduate, Washington & Jefferson

College, did not have an Omega Psi Phi chapter.

Following his completion of graduate school at Kent State University, he joined Omega Psi Phi’s grad chapter in Canton, Ohio.

When one graduates from college and enters the “real world,” Black Greek organizations remain in a person’s DNA. You’ll find the organizations committed to community service projects throughout a city or region, and being part of an organization helps with professional networking.

Yes, it’s true—sometimes a person gets hired because they are, say, an Alpha, and the person doing the hiring is also an Alpha. An example of true brotherhood.

Following the unveiling, each organization had its turn to take photos of its portion of the plot. Those in attendance seemed to take pride in knowing that the plot not only rep-

resents what Black Greek organizations have contributed to Pitt’s campus and its students, but that current and future students know that Pitt and the Schenley Quad is a place where they belong.

Thomas Brooks certainly concurred. He’s a 1988 Pitt graduate who joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity as an undergrad. He was there to help pull the lever to unveil the plot, calling it a “big moment for the university and for the African American community.”

Brooks, the celebrated author and public speaker, added: “If we can do more things like this to give Black students a sense of belongingness and connection with the university and the community, and the legacy in all that the Divine Nine has done, I think it’s all good for Pittsburgh and the region.”

IOTA PHI THETA FRATERNITY, INC. — MITCHELL HUTT, TERRY ELLERBE

PART OF THE PLOT HONORING Kappa Alpha Psi PART OF THE PLOT honoring Sigma Gamma Rho Fraternity, Inc. Sorority, Inc.

THOMAS BROOKS, who joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., while a student at Pitt in the mid-’80s.

A6

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR? Four days of nothin’ but Soul Food at Pittsburgh’s Soul Food Festival 2021, held Sept. 2-5, in Market Square, Downtown.

(Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

BERRIONA SMITH 10, LAYLAY SMITH, 3, DAYLLACE BURNETT, 8

JASMINE PERIER 21, AND BEN DOCTOR, 20, devouring a Philly Cheesesteak...

THE THROWER FAMILY

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

RELIGION/METRO

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

A7

Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH 91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 11 AM effective October 3,2021 Rev. Thomas J. Burke- Pastor Rev. C. Matthew HawkinsParochial Vicar Rev. David H. TaylorSenior Parochial Vicar. www.sbtmparishpgh.com

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800

Worship in person or Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church Journey Worship..........8:45am Sancutary worship.......11:00 a.m.

Taize -Wednesdays.........7:00 p.m.

MYRON KING AND CHANI KING, at Pittsburgh’s Soul Food Festival 2021, which was held Sept. 2-5 in Market Square, Downtown. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

For rate information, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We want to feature positive youth from our Pittsburgh church community. Please mail their bio and photo to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or email us: religion@newpittsburghcourier. com RICK SQUIRES FROM UNCLE RICK’S SMOKEHOUSE DJ JELLY

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHURCH EVENT! We want to place your event in our Church Circuit weekly calendar!

Send info to:

New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219

“O taste and see that the Lord is GOOD: blessed is the man that trust in Him.” - Psalm 34:8

REV. WALKER SAYS: Try the Lord and trust in Him for He is GOOD to us.

(Rev. A. Marie Walker is servant pastor of St. John Baptist Church in Wilmerding.)

The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

A8 SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

New Pittsburgh Courier

Reading racism into horse reins

J. Pharoah Doss B4

BUSINESS SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Classifieds

Find what you need from jobs to cars to housing B5-9

B

COVID worsens America’s racial wealth gap— Blacks own 22 cents for every dollar held by Whites

by Charlene Crowell (TriceEdneyWire.com)—As the global pandemic continues to take lives and infect multiple generations, virtually every dimension of life is challenged. And people with the fewest financial resources before COVID-19 are being challenged more than ever before.

It is both a challenge and an opportunity for leadership in the Biden Administration, Congress, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with the private sector address to effect policies and practices that reverse the nation’s still-growing racial wealth gap.

Tried and true wealth-building tools like targeted homeownership and expanded small business investments together would bring sustainable and meaningful changes to those who historically have been financially marginalized.

In an effort to better understand and solve the dual sagas wrought from centuries of racial discrimination and COVID, major universities, government agencies, public policy institutes and corporations are releasing new research that analyzes the pandemic’s added challenges that exacerbate historical racial inequities.

For example, from January through

March of this year, Blacks on average had 22 cents for every dollar of White family wealth, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve’s Institute for Economic Equity These substantial gaps have remained

in findings from research conducted by Harvard University. This esteemed Ivy League institution drew a key distinction between America’s income and wealth inequalities.

largely unchanged since 1989 to the present, according to the Institute.

The gap’s disparities are also reflected

“Income is unequal, but wealth is even more unequal,” said Alexandra Killewald, professor of sociology at Har-

vard, who studies inequality in the contemporary U.S. “You can think of income as water flowing into your bathtub, whereas wealth is like the water that’s sitting in the bathtub,” she said. “If you have wealth, it can protect you if you lose your job or your house. Wealth is distinctive because it can be used as a cushion, and it can be directly passed down across generations,” providing families more choices and greater opportunity in the present and the future… white Americans are benefiting from legacies of advantage…The typical White American family has roughly 10 times as much wealth as the typical African American family and the typical Latino family.”

While the issues raised by the Federal Reserve and Harvard may sound like variations on an old theme, a 150-yearold global financial firm, Goldman Sachs, urges targeted and sustained investment by both the public and private sectors to erase America’s racial wealth gap. While the report focuses on Black women, its projected outcomes would benefit Black men as well.

“If the improvements benefit Black women and men alike, we estimate larger increases in U.S. employment of 1.7 million SEE COVID B2

Help! My fiancé wants to spend my entire life’s savings on our wedding!!

“My fiancé wants to spend my entire $16,000 savings that I have saved for emergencies and down payment on a house on a big wedding. I’ve already spent $3,000 on a ring for her. I’d prefer to do a smaller wedding on a budget for approximately $5,000. She says it’s not enough.

We can’t seem to come to an agreement.

Please advise?” ~ FB Question

For she’s a spoiled princess in need of a serious reality check. If by chance, she remains reluctant to see the bigger picture—that an emergency fund, house and marriage all have to be accounted for, view it as a microcosm of more financial irresponsibility to come. In this case, it’s cheaper to ditch her.

Damon Says: It’s easy to spend money that you didn’t bust your butt working for then sacrifice, do without, deny yourself, and delay pleasure in an effort to accumulate a lump sum for a specific goal!

This is why she’s so willing to spend it all on a wedding and you’re more selective in terms of how you want to allocate spending the money.

Fifty-two percent of all marriages end in divorce. Of those divorces, nearly 80 percent cite finances as the leading cause of the divorce. This gives new meaning to the expression, “irreconcilable differences.”

In truth, your disagreement has nothing to do with the money. It’s the same $16,000 no matter how you slice it. The irreconcilable differences are about different goals, dreams and priorities. You two are unevenly yoked financially. It’s a good thing you see it now—before you jumped the broom.

You need to seek both marriage and financial counseling before you set a date and start planning your wedding. If you can’t come to a compromise after seeking marriage and financial counseling, the compromise needs to be the marriage.

“My niece texted me asking if she can borrow money to put on her cousin’s commissary. He’s currently in jail. She says she’ll pay me back when she gets paid Friday. What should I do?” ~ Marie

****

Damon Says: The cousin of your niece is probably a relative. Why didn’t the relative ask you for the money directly?

Because, they already know the answer is NO! I’ve worked in banking and finance my entire career. Ask me for money, I’ll tell you in a matter-of-fact tone—I work for the bank! I’m not the bank!

I understand banking. Ask a bank for money, they’re all up in your personal business asking questions to see if you qualify for the loan. Being the little banker that I am, if you ask me for money, you invite me into your personal business. I have questions! Why do you need this money?

How much do you have to put towards this thing you’re trying to do or purchase?

When do you plan on paying me back?

As a general rule, I don’t lend money or co-sign on a loan for family or friends— including my kids! Your niece asking for money for another person is violating two of my rules. Lending money and co-signing. The answer is an emphatic NO!! But I may give if I feel led to give or I’ll help you come up with a solution to your financial problem.

Furthermore, he’s in jail. He has time on his hands! He can wait until Friday! **** “My man makes $55,000 per year. I make $35,000 per year.

We just got an apartment together. Rent is $1,700 per month.

He expects me to pay half!? Is he wrong?” ~ Facebook Question Damon Says: You shared “gross income”—before taxes.

I’m going to use approximate “net income” after taxes and other deductions because you can’t budget off of gross income.

• He nets $3,700 per month • She nets $2,333 per month • Total—$6,033 per month Are you married? Because neither one of you can afford $1,700 monthly rent on your own—and still have a life!

If you’re not married, suffice it to say, avoid shackles when you’re shacking up!

Meaning: Don’t co-sign for anything! That includes credit cards, personal loans, car

loans, leases and mortgages. Why? You run the risk of being tied to a person that you’ve broken up with because of bills you created in both names! And since neither of you can afford this place on your own, “Act your wage!!”

Married? It’s all ONE pot! You’re ONE economic unit—so says the IRS, Census Bureau and The Bible!

But, there’s an unwritten rule! The wife gets the larger disposable income because her personal care and maintenance is more costly! And… you do want her looking good, right!? The wife also gets the most reliable car! You can’t have your boo stranded out there in those streets!

If she’s not getting those two things — any financial proposal outlined by the man of the house is boyish to her!

Every household is run differently. If we’re discussing what’s fair based on pure mathematics, fair is using the pro rata share of the whole. I’m going to continue to use net income for my illustration.

They net $6,000 per month. He earns 61 percent of that. She earns 39 percent of that.

• $1,700 rent: • He pays $1,037 • She pays $663 That’s fair!

Lastly, both should have autonomy and be responsible to write the checks for certain bills. For when one proceeds the other in death, the surviving spouse needs to have a clue on how to manage money and make financial decisions.

(Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached at 412-216-1013 or visit his website at www.damonmoneycoach.com)

BUSINESS

B2 SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

The Executive Leadership Council announces the appointment of three executives to new leadership positions —The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) on Sept.

23 announced the appointment of three executives to senior leadership roles. Hannibal L. Brumskine II will serve as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Gail Coles Johnson will serve as Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Penelope Thornton Talley, Esq. will serve as Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer (CXO).

Brumskine will manage the

HANNIBAL BRUMSKINE overall financial activities of the organization, developing

The ELC’s financial infrastructure and practices to increase its impact through financial stewardship, investment management and philanthropic efforts.

Johnson will develop and execute human resources strategy in support of The ELC’s business plan and overall strategic direction of the organization, specifically in the areas of succession planning, talent management, change management, organizational and performance management, train-

ing and development and compensation.

Talley will ensure positive interactions between The ELC and its members.

As CXO she will leverage best practices and facilitate cross-functional collaboration to elevate the member experience with the ultimate goals of improved member satisfaction, growth and retention.

“The Executive Leadership Council is excited to welcome Hannibal, Gail and Penelope to our leadership team. Each

GAIL COLES JOHNSON is filling a newly-created position aligned with our stra-

tegic priorities and a focus on better serving our members, stakeholders and the organization overall,” said Michael C. Hyter, President and CEO of The ELC. “We are confident they will enhance our ability to help achieve equity for Black executives in business and for the Black community. We look forward to having their talents and expertise to complement our exceptional membership and extraordinary staff.”

African American entrepreneurs head SPAC in $126.5 million IPO to acquire Black-owned firms

by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier

(NNPA)—Shawn Rochester, who authored the spellbinding book “The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America,” and Robin Watkins, a highly regarded financial and operations accountant, have made Wall Street history.

And the two are poised to break through more barriers in the financial world.

Their latest venture, Minority Equality Opportunities Acquisitions Inc. (MEOA), has raised $126.5 million they’ve earmarked to help minority businesses and enterprises grow and prosper through mergers and acquisitions.

“It’s amazing to be a part of this,” Watkins, a Drexel University graduate, stated.

While Rochester serves as CEO of MEOA, Watkins counts as the company’s CFO. “I come from a family of entrepreneurs,” Watkins remarked during an appearance on PBS-TV and PBS-World’s The Chavis Chronicles with National Newspapers Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. The interview took place inside the new state-of-the-art NNPA television studios in Washington, D.C. Because her grandfather owned a trucking company and café in Lawrenceville, Virginia, and her father and other family members were entrepreneurs, Watkins leaped at this latest opportunity.

“It’s historic, and it’s amazing,” Watkins stated.

MEOA raised the money after its initial public offering in August and now counts as

SHAWN ROCHESTER, Minority Equality Opportunities Acquisition Inc.’s Chairman and CEO, and Robin Watkins, the firm’s Chief Financial Officer and Secretary. the first special purpose acquisition company —or SPAC—headed by African Americans.

“We are trading now on the Nasdaq under MEOA,” Rochester, who earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business with a focus in Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship.

MEOA will target MBEs and Black-owned businesses nationwide.

“We’re really a blank check company that’s funded through an IPO,” Watkins remarked.

“The funds are held in trust to acquire another company. In this case, we are looking at

minority business enterprises to take them public through our IPO. We are the only SPAC that is targeting minority business enterprises.”

According to financial experts, SPACs generally have two years to complete an acquisition.

If they fail, the company must return the money raised to its investors.

For Rochester and Watkins, failure isn’t an option.

Rochester said they are looking at companies with enterprise values between $250 million and $500 million with recurring and

predictable revenues.

The criteria include having a history of being able to generate sustainable free-cash-flow.

“There is unprecedented demand for diverse suppliers, but many minority firms don’t have the resources to meet the demand,” Rochester said.

“That’s where MEOA, and the decades of combined experience that our team has in operations, strategy, business development, and acquisitions enter the picture for the right business, to help accelerate growth,” he continued.

Further demonstrating a commitment to racial equity and economic inclusion, MEOA engaged the Industrial Bank of Washington, one of the country’s preeminent Black-owned institutions, for its working capital banking needs during the SPAC and IPO process.

The company’s directors are majority-minority including, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, MIT economist and Dean, College of Ethnic Studies, Cal State Los Angeles, Mr. Ronald Busby Sr., President and CEO, US Black Chamber, Inc., and Mr. Patrick Linehan, Partner, Steptoe & Johnson.

“The mission and purpose of MEOA will help to catapult minority enterprise in this country,” Rochester asserted.

“As a SPAC, we have the opportunity to not only help drive significant change and unleash superior performance but to also signal to the broader marketplace that there is tremendous value in companies and teams that have long been ignored.”

(Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent)

‘Diary of a Black man on Wall Street’ out now As the nation challenges its history of systematic inequality, J. Derek Penn’s rise from Youngstown, Ohio, where his father worked in the steel mills, is inspirational, motivational, and fraught with racism. Penn’s memoir, DIARY OF A BLACK MAN ON WALL STREET: From Youngstown, Ohio To The Big Apple, weaves a narrative of hope and perseverance through the trials of life as a Black man and banker in America as he rises to become one of Wall Street’s top traders.

Penn shares racial struggles and triumphs, from his elementary and middle school years, to his acceptance at Duke University where he excelled in athletics as one of the university’s standout players, to his tryout for the NFL, to his acceptance into Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, and his eventual thirty-four year career on Wall

Street. “I hope that the majority of people reading this book will better understand the life and struggles that a person of color must endure on a daily basis,” says Penn.

Few Blacks lead Wall Street divisions. The racism encountered by Penn along the way, in his professional and social life, both globally and in the US, would have stymied a lesser man. His father taught him early on to develop a thicker skin, to be better than the majority party, and he absorbed these lessons while remembering all the slurs and slights.

Penn shares stories of joy, humor, travel, family, and friendship throughout, but the instances of racism that greet him randomly, whether from fellow traders or being mistaken for a terrorist at an airport, are a constant reminder of the inequities and inequalities

that persist in the world. He shares his experiences with humility and with the purpose of making the world a better place. At one client meeting, Penn was met with, “So, how did you get to be the head guy?” He relayed a little bit of his Wall Street history and got the usual, “I’ve never seen a Black man in a position of such huge responsibility prior to today!” Penn somewhat smugly responded, “You ever heard of a man called Barack Obama?”

The book provides insights into how race in America pervades both the workplace and the social space daily, but also leaves the reader with hope for future progress. While Penn is optimistic that the current industry diversity efforts will yield results, the commitment is still at the very senior levels, and dissipates as it funnels down through the or-

ganization. He believes there needs to be a more focused effort to genuinely tie compensation to diversity to effect change.

DIARY OF A BLACK MAN ON WALL STREET will inspire people of all ethnicities to persevere in whatever endeavor they are pursuing, while at the same educates the reader about the oppression Black Americans endure.

About the Author: A graduate of Duke University, BA, MBA, J. Derek Penn has worked at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Fidelity Capital Markets, BNY Mellon, and is currently an independent trustee, Board of Trustees, Charles Schwab Mutual Funds and ETFs, Charles Schwab Corporation. DIARY OF A BLACK MAN ON WALL STREET is his story.

COVID worsens America’s racial wealth gap COVID FROM B1

jobs and in U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 2.1 percent, which corresponds to $450 billion per year.”

Titled, Black Womenomics: Investing in the Underinvested, the March 2021 report calls for access to capital, education, equitable earnings, health care, and housing to lay the groundwork to reverse historical disadvantages, while creating financial independence and personal wealth.

Most importantly, the report calls for the participation of Blacks—and especially Black women—to shape their own futures. “[A]ny efforts to effectively address the issues can only be successful if Black women are actively engaged in formulating the strategies and framing the outcomes. Moreover, addressing discrimination and bias will be fundamental to real and sustainable progress…The large wealth gap faced by single Black women is particularly important because Black women are more and increasingly likely to be single and breadwinner mothers…Among Black mothers, more than 80 percent are breadwinners compared to 50 percent of White mothers,” states the report.

How existing financial disparities leave Black women more financially vulnerable is found in the report’s data points: • Black women face a 90 percent wealth gap; • The wage gap of Black women widens

through their whole work-life, and especially rapidly between ages 20 and 35; • Black women are five times more likely than White men to rely on expensive payday loans; • Black women are nearly three times more likely to forego prescription medicine, and also much more likely than White men not to see a doctor because they cannot afford it; and • The median single Black woman does not own a home, and single Black women are 24 times less likely than single White men to own a business.

Additionally, the nation’s shortage of affordable housing translates into 85 percent of Black women with families facing housing costs ranging from more than 30 to 50 percent of their incomes. Once the monthly rent is paid, these housing-burdened households have little left to cover utilities, food, childcare or other household needs.

Even Black families earning a median income will need 14 years just to save a 5 percent home down payment, according to a recent analysis by the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL).

A legacy of historically modest incomes and little inter-generational wealth available to be passed down by families leaves most Black Americans without the comparable financial advantages enjoyed by other races and ethnicities.

These and other circumstances lead many women—especially women of color—to turn

to high-cost loans of only a few hundred dollars. Although the typical payday loan of $350 is marketed as a short-term fix to an unexpected expense, the reality for many with modest incomes is that the high-cost loan— which can come with interest as high as 400 percent—becomes yet another long-term financial burden that worsens financial strains with[every renewal.

“Predatory, high-interest lenders pull people down into financial quicksand, making them more likely to experience a range of harms, such as losing their bank account, defaulting on their bills, losing their car, and declaring bankruptcy. It is low-income consumers, and disproportionately communities of color— whom the lenders target—that are being harmed,” said Ashley Harrington, of CRL in testimony this summer before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee.

The harms of wealth inequality also extend to the broader U.S. economy, according to the Goldman Sachs report. In its view, expanding opportunities for Black women who are often on the bottom rung of the economic ladder can create a pathway to individual and national prosperity. “Overcoming these adverse economic trends would make for not only a fairer, but also a richer society. We estimate that confronting the earnings gap for Black women could create 1.2-1.7 million U.S. jobs and raise the level of annual U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by 1.4-2.1 percent each year, or $300-450 billion in current dollars.”

The sum of these findings underscores the frustration felt by much of Black America.

The Civil War ended slavery and promised the emancipated 40 acres and a mule. The civil rights laws of the 1960s promised to eliminate discrimination in voting, housing, and public accommodations. Next, the affirmative action programs of the 1970s promised equal opportunity employment in fields that had been previously barred to Blacks and other people of color.

It is time for this nation to make good on its age-old promises. Creating neighborhoods of opportunity from poverty pockets would strengthen cities and suburbs alike. If corporate leadership would join with the Administration and Congress to ensure that Black America and other people of color share in the nation’s prosperity, everyone would be better off.

No person and certainly no community will ever beg its way out of poverty. But down payment assistance for first generation, mortgage-ready homebuyers would build family wealth. Similarly, creating an equity investment fund targeted to struggling small Black businesses would preserve neighborhood opportunities, including more permanent jobs. .

In the timeless words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “All we say to America is, ‘Be true to what you said on paper.”

(Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

B3

Freedom

Guest Editorial

Haitian migrants deserve better treatment The Biden administration should be condemned for its handling of the influx of Haitian migrants at the U.S. southern border.

The administration deserves strong rebuke after images of U.S. Border patrol agents on horseback using aggressive tactics went viral last week.

Haitian migrants are being boarded on buses after being processed and released after spending time at a makeshift camp near the International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped at the Texas border town back to their homeland and trying to block others from crossing the border from Mexico.

The nation watched in horror a video of agents maneuvering their horses to forcibly block migrants attempting to cross the border.

Congressional Democrats are right to call on the Biden administration to end its use of a pandemic-era authority to deport migrants without giving them an opportunity to seek asylum in the United States.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson is right to demand a meeting with Biden to discuss the situation and called the treatment of the Haitian migrants “utterly sickening.”

Videos and photos taken in Del Rio are deeply disturbing. They show Border Patrol agents confronting Haitians in an overly aggressive manner. One agent is seen on horseback twirling his long leather reins in a menacing way at the Haitian migrants.

Border Patrol agents are seen forcibly blocking and moving migrants, almost seeming to herd them. In at least one instance, they were heard taunting the migrants.

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz sought to downplay the incidents, telling the reporters that the agents were working in a difficult and chaotic environment. But that’s no excuse for the agents’ harsh mistreatment of Haitian migrants.

Republicans say the Biden administration policies led Haitians to believe they would get asylum. There is no evidence for the GOP assertions.

The migrant crisis has been in the making for years.

Haitians have been migrating to the U.S. in large numbers from South America for several years, many having left their Caribbean nation after a devastating 2010 earthquake. Haiti also is struggling to recover from the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in mid-August.

On Thursday, the Biden administration’s special envoy to Haiti resigned, protesting “inhumane” largescale expulsions of Haitian migrants to their homeland wracked by civil strife and natural disaster.

Daniel Foote wrote Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he was stepping down immediately “with deep disappointment and apologies to those seeking crucial changes.”

“I will not be associated with the United States’ inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees and illegal immigrants to Haiti, a country where American officials are confined to secure compounds because of the danger posed by armed gangs to daily life,” he wrote. “Our policy approach to Haiti remains deeply flawed, and my policy recommendations have been ignored and dismissed, when not edited to project a narrative different from my own.”

Foote’s resignation and the outrage expressed by Democratic lawmakers and civil rights leaders should be a wake-up for the Biden administration to implement a better policy.

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm

Rob Taylor Jr.

Jeff Marion

Office Manager

Managing Editor

Circulation Consultant

John. H. Sengstacke

Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—It’s hard to believe and even sadder to have to admit that naturalized citizens are more knowledgeable about the functions, operation and current events related to the United States government than natural-born citizens. That’s primarily attributed to the extremely rigorous education program and demonstrated knowledge necessary to meet the stringent requirements of the naturalization process. While many of those natural-born assume they have or will acquire such knowledge through the process of osmosis or the ignorant musings of a “smart” friend or neighbor, our naturalized fellow-citizens have been vetted, tested, and have proven themselves worthy of their rights and privileges of citizenship.

As one who has taught civics in formal classes, run for the U.S. Congress and studied Diplomacy, I am repeatedly befuddled by the knowledge, or lack thereof, about principles of the American government or governance by other Americans who proclaim their right to “FREEDOM(s)” under those same principles. I find it equally hard to believe that those who protest the loudest about the erosion of the right of independent thought and personal autonomy are also the actors who would/do most often trample the rights and freedom of expression of those with whom they disagree.

The example of this contradiction is most dramatically demonstrated by those who rail against being forced to vaccinate against their will. They will crow incessantly about their right and freedom to do what they want with

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary their own bodies, yet too many of them will argue against a woman’s right to choose an abortion or act in a manner consistent with her conscience and the counsel of her physician.

Because they are disturbed or offended by the truth of their histories, they will attempt to prevent the telling of the unvarnished truth of that hateful and most often brutal excursion through the American past. Historical revisionism now runs rampant. Those who cling to the deceitful nature of the typical Trump follower would have all believe that the history of this nation began in 1776 and that the viciousness of slavery, the inhumane treatment of the Native American, the brutish overrun of the Mexican occupants of the American southwest, and the unjust exclusion of Asian immigrants was accomplished with the willing participation of its victims.

Most egregiously, they’re the ones who proclaim to value American Democracy, the principle of “one person—one vote, and the unabridged right of every citizen’s personal expression through the ballot EXCEPT when the votes of people of color, women, or others on the

“outside” upset the balance of White political power. The unwillingness to accept the ‘Browning of America’ has created a social divide so broad and acerbic as to only offer a future steeped in violence and discord.

Without the hint of voter irregularities, the radical right has convinced a huge segment of the population that election outcomes that don’t favor the White majority are rigged or “fake.” White supremacy has become the fellow-traveler with Republicanism and/or political conservatism. The January 6th Insurrection and its precursor in Charlottesville, VA, are now acceptable methods of redressing grievance. Those violations of our most cherished traditions of social conduct are not considered worthy of criticism because they express some nebulous truth.

Pedagogists (students of the art and science of teaching) have long believed that authoritarianism flourishes in the absence of critical thinking among uneducated/undereducated populations. These are populations most willing to accept “facts” which most closely align with their own beliefs. The re-emerging racism and misogyny are the drivers of this new and objectionable “spirit of America.” The fear of losing power has caused a negative attitude adjustment among uninformed and just plain mean Whites who, each day, demonstrate their unwillingness to accept and adapt to our changing America.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women.)

Who gets flexibility?

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I had not planned to have a policy conversation when I boarded my connecting flight from Detroit to DC. But the young White woman, totally professionally dressed, seemed to want my ear. She was coming to Washington to do “advocacy,” she said, around workplace flexibility and “reimagining work.” I thought girlie just wanted to hear herself talk, so my responses were minimal—um hum, okay. But I was more interested when she wove her policy thoughts into her own story—a young mom who COVID challenged to ensure that her children didn’t fall behind.

The exchange sustained us for the scant hour or so of the flight, but I went another perspective as we began to exit the plane. We were in row 15, just five rows out of first class. As we left, I observed several women, mostly Black and Latina, and one African man, frantically cleaning the plane’s first-class cabin. It was clear that they were also waiting for the rest of us to get off the plane so they could go to the back and continue to clean.

The airlines promise cleaning between flights, and these folks were doing their jobs. Watching them, though, made it clear that the flexibility my seatmate was advocating for is not flexibility that trickles down. Those who write, talk, think, and compute for a living have the privilege of flexibility. Those of us who clean, sit behind a cash register, pick up garbage, or more, don’t have the same benefit of flexibility. Too much of the policy conversation centers around providing flexibility for some. What accommodations are we prepared to

Julianne Malveaux

Commentary offer others?

For example, at hotels these days, guests are told that we should sleep on the same sheets and use the same towels for days, only asking for housekeeping services when we need them.

But when we do not have housekeeping services, there’s a sister who has less work. She can’t clean our rooms from home, so her work week, once 40 hours or more, is now shortened. Her paycheck is smaller. Her benefits may disappear. Where is flexibility for her?

Our policy lens is distorted by our privilege and class situation. Desk jockeys advocate for desk jockeys, folks who can easily do their jobs from their desk or the office. Folks who can’t desk jock or advocate are left on their own.

Too many of those who don’t have the luxury of flexible work are Black or Brown. A conversation about flexible work reeks of privilege and sidelines too many in the labor force.

According to the Brookings Institute’s Dr. Kristin Broady, about 13.4 percent of the workforce teleworked. Nearly a third of Asian American workers teleworked, compared to 12.4 percent of Whites, 11.2 percent of Black people, and a scant 7.9 percent of Chicano/Lat-

inx people. I’m not casting any shade on Asian American workers. Still, I’m wondering about other workers and how we reimagine work for those who aren’t sitting at the policy table.

Simple arithmetic suggests that when we pay people more, we get more effort, that many won’t mind the three-day workweek if they can be paid for it.

Some of the workers, most of whom are women, won’t mind spending more time engaged in their children’s education, perhaps volunteering at their schools.

Others might like the time to upgrade their skills, possibly enrolling in classes that augment their already proven skills with management possibilities.

Or, they might choose to chill, work less complicated, and embrace the notion that their lives should only be dictated by work and survival.

Predatory capitalism extracts surplus value from workers, exploiting them because they have no choice but to work at substandard conditions for the capitalists to maximize their profits. Covid reminded us of our interdependence, of the many ways we must rely on each other. For many privileged workers, it has meant that the terms and conditions of their work can be reexamined.

What about the workers we rely on for our health care, transportation services, grocery shelving, and more. It will be a classist tragedy if the few folks at the top only enjoy workplace flexibility.

Workplace flexibility, and the pay that goes with it, must also be a privilege of those at the bottom.

(Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author and Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State, LA. Reach her at juliannemalveaux.com.)

Biden’s promise for diverse judges and federal court diversity

By Ben Jealous (TriceEdneyWire.com)—One of the most important reasons to vote Donald Trump out of the White House was to stop him from packing our federal courts with even more anti-voting-rights, anti-equality, pro-corporate judges.

Stopping the flood of bad Trump judges was a huge accomplishment for every organizer and voter who helped elect Joe Biden as president. And that’s only part of the good news. President Biden is making history with the most diverse set of judicial nominees ever.

President Trump’s judicial nominees were overwhelmingly White men, often young and unqualified. They were almost always picked for their commitment to a right-wing judicial ideology that makes it harder for millions of Americans to count on the courts for justice. Thanks to Trump and his Republican enablers in the Senate, we will be dealing with hundreds of those judges for years to come.

Elections matter. Right now, instead of more judges hand-picked by rightwing legal activists and their corporate allies, President Biden is making good on his promise to bring greater diversity to our federal courts. Biden is naming far more brilliant Black judges and women judges than any other president—including Barack Obama.

Let’s look at some numbers. Because they are impressive.

More than 30 percent of Biden’s judicial nominees so far have been Black. Fewer than 5 percent of Trump’s judicial picks were Black.

More than a quarter of Biden’s judicial nominees have been Black women.

Under Trump, it was less than one percent. In fact, almost half of President Biden’s judicial nominees are women of color.

Biden has been in office for less than a year, and he has already doubled the number of Black women judges on the circuit courts—the highest level of federal courts below the Supreme Court. Trump named zero Black judges to the circuit courts; nearly 40 percent of Biden’s circuit court nominees have been Black.

There’s also a lot more diversity in Biden nominees’ life experiences and professional backgrounds. They aren’t all corporate lawyers and law professors. Almost one-third of them have had experience as public defenders. Some of them have worked at respected civil rights organizations.

Some have devoted their legal careers to protecting and representing workers. One started her career at the Legal Aid Society.

This is how we get federal courts that represent all of us, not just the most privileged and powerful.

And that brings us back to elections.

President Biden has been able to get his nominees confirmed—more lifetime judges at this point in his term in office

since Gerald Ford—because voters in Georgia elected Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.

If Republicans still held a Senate majority, Mitch McConnell would be slow-walking and stopping Biden’s judicial nominees. When Trump was in power, McConnell laughed and bragged about how he kept so many of President Obama’s nominees from getting confirmed so that Trump would have lots of vacancies to fill.

McConnell would love to regain the power to block Biden’s judicial nominees. He would love to return to his practice of refusing to schedule hearings and votes on even the most qualified judges. He would love to abuse his power to keep hundreds of judicial seats vacant in the hopes that Trump or some other Republican will take back the White House in 2024. And bring back the flood of White, right-wing men determined to impose their ideology on the federal courts and on all of us.

We can’t let that happen.

Let’s praise the good work being done by the Biden White House and Senate Democrats. Let’s thank them for bringing balance and diversity and a commitment to equal justice for all to the federal courts. And let’s work as hard as we can to keep the Senate and White House in Democratic hands in 2022 and 2024.

(Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way.)

FORUM

B4 SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

Black student campus leaders should be highly compensated!

Thanks to a relatively recent Supreme Court decision, University of Pittsburgh student athletes as well as all other NCAA athletes can earn money through endorsements that make use of their names and images. The Supreme Court’s majority opinion took note of the fact that the NCAA is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with football conferences earning hundreds of millions of dollars, and collegiate officials such as Athletics Directors, Coaches, and Presidents annually earning millions of dollars. Regarding the past NCAA restrictions related to student athletes’ ability to be compensated, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote, “the NCAA’s business model would be flatly illegal in almost any other industry in America.”

Herein, it is held that, given the significant institutional services rendered and the compensation others receive related to those same services, Black student leaders of campus equity and social justice organizations should be appropriately compensated. This is advocated in part, because just as in the case of NCAA sports, institutions such as the University of Pittsburgh are multi-billion-dollar industries, notwithstanding their noble missions related to higher education. For example, in a Pitt impact statement, some of the highlights are as follows: • Pitt’s economic impact totals $4.2 billion annually.

• Pitt generates $20 in Pennsylvania for every $1 invested in the University and our students.

• Pitt returns $184 million in tax revenue to state and local governments.

• The University, its faculty, staff, students and visitors spend a combined $1.7 billion on businesses in Pennsylvania. Pitt’s Impact | With Pitt | University of Pittsburgh In addition, Pitt brings more than $850 million external research funding to Pennsylvania each year and, in doing so, it is one of the nation’s national leaders in terms of National Institutes of Health funding Research | University of Pittsburgh.

In various statements and concomitant programmatic activities, Pitt declared the pursuit of diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice to be among its very highest priorities. In June 2020, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher poignantly stated, “…A university is not an ivory tower but an extension of society—a place dedicated to advancing knowledge for everyone’s gain. Racism degrades our pursuit of true equality, liberty and justice, and it undermines our ability to create opportunity through teaching, research and service. Our university must become a better, more equitable place, and we can do more. …We can expand our efforts to translate our work into practice and spur a local renaissance in our surrounding neighbor-

Jack Daniel

Commentary hoods and communities.

Reshaping our university to be more diverse, inclusive and just—while also expanding our reach and impact in promoting social justice—is a significant effort, and we will need to resource and sustain this transformation over time. Because of this, I am putting our nearly complete strategic planning process—which aims to chart Pitt’s course over the next five years—on hold. This pause will give us time to incorporate specific strategies to strengthen our commitments to racial equity and justice. I will need your help in identifying the most promising initiatives in this final plan, and I hope you will participate…” (Highlighting mine).

At least since the 1960s, Black student campus leaders have responded to Pitt senior administrators’ calls for assistance to institutionally address equity and social justice. It was the direct actions of Pitt Black students that led to things such as [1] increases in Black faculty, staff, students, and administrators; [2] the creation of entities such as the Africana Studies Department, formal programs to provide Black students with support services, and the African American Library Collection; as well as [3] the hiring of the past and current phalanx of diversity and inclusion officers. Yet, for the foregoing services and too many more to enumerate herein, Black student leaders have not been appropriately compensated, if indeed they were compensated at all. Thus, their unequal treatment is analogous to what had been transpiring with NCAA student athletes.

Consider the fact that Black student diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice leaders often volunteer far more than 15 hours per week while advising/urging/ teaching senior administrators, faculty, and staff. At the same time, estimates suggest that “diversity consultants” earn approximately $80,000 per year.

During my more than a half century association with Pitt, I observed the emotional, physical, and academic toll taken on Black student leaders—all while they, without compensation, advised very highly compensated Chancellors, Provosts, Vice Presidents, Department Chairs, and Senior faculty regarding how best to pursue the declared very high institutional priority of diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice.

From the free labor of Black students, careers have been derived for Black faculty, administrators, and staff members. It was from the demands of Black students that I became a Department Chair and, eventually, a Vice Provost, Dean, and Distinguished Service Professor. It was a Black student demand that led to the initial administrative appointment of Donald M. Henderson who subsequently became Pitt’s first Black Provost. What then should be the appropriate compensation for Black student leaders who play significant roles in helping senior campus leaders undertake a critical aspect of their institutional mission?

For playing major roles in helping an institution such as Pitt achieve a national positive reputation related to diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice, should not the leaders of an organization such as Pitt’s Black Action Society receive the equivalent compensation that is provided Pitt Basketball and Football athletes, i.e., full room, board and tuition scholarships during their terms of service? While one might quibble with this compensation recommendation, one thing is certain: the Emancipation Proclamation declared an end to inappropriately using the free labor of Blacks and, centuries later, historically White institutions of higher education should not be dependent on the free labor of Black students to realize a major aspect of their institutional missions.

(Jack L. Daniel is Vice Provost and Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh.)

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Reading racism into horse reins Defenders of Critical Race Theory J. claim that CRT highlights the racial injustices of the past and examines their lingering effects in contemporary society.

Fine.

But the activist dimension of CRT asserts that racism is the norm in America. Therefore, the question is never: Did racism occur? The question is always: How did racism manifest itself in the situation?

The famous example that demonstrates this outlook is the dilemma of the store clerk. A White person and a Black person walk into the store. If the store clerk offers assistance to the White person first, it’s an act of racism because the clerk assumed the White person had more money. However, if the store clerk offers assistance to the Black person first, it’s also an act of racism because the clerk assumed the Black person might steal if left unattended.

After decades of CRT trickling down into mainstream thought, it has become the norm for “educated” people to read racism into every situation regardless of the circumstances.

The current crisis along the U.S. border involves Haitian migrants trying to enter the United States from Mexico.

Recently images surfaced of border agents on horseback attempting to get the asylum seekers to reverse course,

Pharoah Doss

Check It Out but the El Paso Times reported that border agents had swung whips at the migrants shouting “Get out Now! Back to Mexico!”

The border agents were immediately branded “modern-day slave catchers” on social media. The White House Press Secretary was grilled by reporters who read racism into the images and demanded to know if the border agents would face disciplinary action.

The Vice President told the press the images evoked some of the worst moments of our history, that kind of behavior was used against African Americans during slavery.

First, border patrol agents don’t carry whips. The agents held the reigns of their horses, but when racism was read into the images, the automatic assumption was the horse reins were whips.

One border patrol agent, who was outraged at the negative press the border patrol received, told a reporter, “With basic knowledge and two brain cells, anyone knows those agents use

split reins. They do use them as a whip, on their horses. This helps get a quicker response from the horse to move when needed, especially when the horse may be hesitant with groups of people or other animals … It’s clear those in charge (The White House) have no clue about our operations and frankly operate by ignorance and unhinged emotions.”

Second, images of border patrol agents preventing Haitian migrants from entering the United States in the 21st century are not analogous to slavery. In order to make that connection, you’d have to ignore the fact that slaves were brought to America against their will and condemned to a hard life of toil and poverty, but Haitian migrants willfully risk their lives to enter America in order to escape poverty so they can create better lives for themselves.

The El Paso Times eventually added this statement to their initial report.

Correction: Our reporting team witnessed at least one agent on horseback swing his reins like a whip. We have updated the story to clarify that fact since it was not an actual whip.

When asked about all the “educated” people that read racism into this situation, one border patrol agent replied, “Just proves what absolute idiots they are.”

White supremacy’s culture war For more than 1,500 years, Europeans and their cultural descendants have been defining reality for the people they have subjugated around the world. We tend to think that global domination by that small percentage of the world’s population living in the northwest corner of the Eurasian land mass began in the late 15th century when Christopher Columbus sailed to the Western Hemisphere and Vasco da Gama sailed to India. But the seeds of White supremacy were planted long before that. Ancient Europeans were aware of the existence of India. Most serious students of history learn of Alexander the Great’sinvasion of India.

From the time of Augustus Caesar, the Roman Empire routinely traded with India. But when many modern writers reference the “Ancient World,” Greece and Rome come to mind, but not India. Neither are references made to Native American cultures that were in existence thousands of years before Columbus set sail. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, European religious and cultural leaders began to develop narratives that centered themselves and people like them in the history of humankind. This centering had a profound impact upon the development of Western civilization. In the absence of the Roman Empire, Europe fractured into much smaller independent states with little knowledge of what existed beyond their borders. These states warred with each other and promoted their own characteristics as superior to all others. It was during this time that the national identities of the French, the Germans and the Spanish began to solidify, and for almost 1,000 years, there was constant violence and conflict as each culture tried to gain dominance over the others and secure for themselves the limited resources that were available.

After this 1,000 year period of ignorance, violence and conflict in Europe, which is often referred to as the “Dark Ages,” state-sponsored European

Oscar H. Blayton

Commentary explorers began to venture out beyond their small corner of the world in search of resources. Spain sponsored Christopher Columbus’ voyage westward to find a new route to India.

And soon after Columbus stumbled upon the Americas, Vasco da Gama sailed south from Portugal along the West African coast, rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of the African continent and eventually crossed what became known as the Indian Ocean to India itself. Armed with cannon and cruel greed, the Spanish and Portuguese fleets began to plunder these foreign lands. To justify the horrific atrocities committed against the people found in these new lands, the Spanish and Portuguese professed to be the messengers of Christian love and charity. So noble was their cause deemed to be, that in 1494, Pope Alexander VI divided the world in two, giving one half to Spain and the other to Portugal. But soon, the English, French and Dutch challenged the Spanish and Portuguese for these “new lands” filled with riches.

Then Europeans began to slaughter each other as well as the unlucky indigenous inhabitants. Armed with religiosity as well as cannon, European imperialists began to differentiate between Christians and “heathens,” bringing the latter to heel in the name of God’s mandate and the progress of civilization. As they had done to each other in Europe for centuries before, the imperialists then began to do to the rest of the world. They created “others” and declared them to be undeserving of the bounty of their own lands. In support of this world view, the

Eurasian land mass was divided into two parts, distinguishing Asia, with its non-White population, from Europe and its mostly White population. This notion of Europe and Asia as separate continents has existed for centuries, with geographers declaring that there were seven major land masses called continents, and that each continent was divided from the others by a body of water. But the briefest examination of a world map reveals that there is no water separating Europe from Asia.

The socio-political construction of Europe and Asia as separate land masses was created merely to “other” the nonWhite Asians. Europeans and Asians, Christians and heathens, White people and Black people are all social constructs built to support a social order of global inequality that advantages White people to the detriment of people of color. If we are ever to bring an end to White supremacy, we must diagnose the socio-economic and political condition of the world today and determine the causes of racism and the “othering” of the world’s various populations.

Critical Race Theory is one way to perform this diagnosis. It can demonstrate that there is a cultural thread that runs from the medieval superstitions of Europe to the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas,which not only protected the right of its White citizens to own slaves, but also prohibited people deemed to be Indians and Africans from living freely within its borders.

Critical Race Theory also can demonstrate the cultural thread running from the slaughter of Africans and other people of color during the “age of exploration” to the present-day efforts of White supremacists to disenfranchise people of color in America and block their path to the voting booth. We are now at the dawning of a new phase of a centuries old culture war, and we must arm ourselves with the knowledge of how we arrived at this point, because if we do not, the war will be lost.

(Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.)

Black History must be carefully studied, learned and built upon

by A. Peter Bailey (TriceEdneyWire.com)—One of the main reasons for knowing Black history is so important and why White supremacists try so fiercely to keep control of U.S. History is its value as something to study carefully, learn from and build upon. That’s why serious Black adults have the responsibility to be aware of important individuals and events and pass that information on to young Black folks.

During the month of October, there are two such historical dates I believe should be passed on. This is no claim that they are the only ones, just the two I choose. The first, October 4, birthdate of Dr. C. DeLores Tucker, founder of the National Political Congress of Black Women and the Bethune-DuBois Institute. Dr. T, as we called her, led a serious vigorous campaign against the psychological damage done to young Black folks, especially young males, by the creators and distributors of gangster rap. She called them “gangstas in the suites and gangstas in the streets.”

She bought 10 shares of Time Warner stock so she could attend a stockholder’s meeting during which she said the following: “….I come before you to address one of the most serious issues of our time—the issue of corporate responsibility in regards to violent, sexually explicit, and misogynistic lyrics in recordings financed by this and other corporations….due to inaction towards its destructiveness and a silent conspiracy between profiteers and producers, violent, sexually explicit and misogynistic music has seeped into the souls of our youth, conditioning them to violent behavior, disrespect for women and utter disregard for human life….”

For her campaign, Dr. T was viciously attacked by the gangstas in the suites and gangstas in the streets. The latter profanely attacked her in song lyrics.

The second date is October 31, the day in 1919 when the legendary Pan Africanist leader, Marcus Garvey, launched a ship from the 125th Street Pier in Harlem. According to Brother Marcus as quoted in the book, “Marcus Garvey and the Vision of Africa,” compiled by

John Henrik Clarke and his assistant, Amy Jacques Garvey; “In the space of two or three months the corporation of the Black Star Line was able to purchase its first ship, the S.S. Yarmouth, which was rechristened the S.S. Fredrick Douglass….I thought if we could launch our ships and have our own Black captains and officers, our race too would be respected in the mercantile and commercial world, thereby adding appreciative dignity to our downtrodden people….”

The book notes that “thousands upon thousands” of Black folks cheered on the 125th Pier and along Riverside Drive as the ship set sail. It also states—and this is very important—that the launching was completely financed by Black stockholders in the Universal Negro Improvement Association.

Every Black student in the country should be made aware of warriors such as Dr. T, Brother Marcus, and others who have promoted and protected us throughout our history. They must be taught to carefully study history, learn from it and build upon it.

New Pittsburgh Courier

CLASSIFIED

B5

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

SENIOR DATA SCIENTIST Bodo, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) to apply underst&ing of Bodo technology to identify & eval. competing tchnlgs & provide insights to the Company on how to respond to needs of the developers’ community. Use proprietary supercomputing analytics platform to empower data scientists to run Python & SQL workloads w/extreme prfrmnc & scalability of High Performance Computing (HPC) w/o code rewrites or any knowledge of distributed sys. or HPC. Create tech. content around using Bodo for data science, incl. tutorials, case examples, blog posts & videos.

Engage w/Pandas community online to help clarify Bodo concepts & trblsht their tchncl issues (GitHub, Slack, user community meetups).

Promote Bodo in various channels & speak externally at events, talks, podcasts. Influence the roadmap for product features to support data science work flow more effectively.

Collaborate closely w/engnrng team to identify opprtnts for Bodo & guide its expansion. Apply understanding of data scientists’ long-term reqs & translate them into bus. sltns. Master’s degree in Computer Science or Engnrng. Must know (through academic training or work exp.) data science, data analysis/modeling, data visualization, machine learning, data wrangling (or ETL work) in Python & SQL. Send resume to careers@bodo.com

PITTSBURGH ARTS & LECTURES MARKETING AND SALES COORDINATOR The Marketing and Sales Coordinator is a newly created entry-level position in a dynamic literary arts presenting organization with a small, supportive, highly collaborative staff with opportunities to learn and grow in your career with PA&L. The coordinator role is responsible for increasing the profile of the organization and our lecture programs through digital marketing, social media campaigns, and front-line customer sales and service.

Salary is $32,000 - $35,000, plus full healthcare coverage, generous paid time off for vacation, sick time, and holidays, and a 25% match for a 403b retirement plan.

Apply at pittsburghlectures.org/careers/

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER Gridwise seeks a Senior Software Engineer in Pittsburgh, PA to Design/develop/support core backend systems, services, and applications.

Telecommuting allowed within same MSA. Email resumes to Brian Finamore at brian@gridwise.io.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERS, DATA ENGINEERING (MULTIPLE OPENINGS) Duolingo, Inc. has multiple openings for Software Engineers, Data Engineering (multiple openings) in Pittsburgh, PA responsible for performing software engineering tasks on Duolingo’s language education software. Please apply to jobs@duolingo.com and refer to Software Engineer, Data Engineering and job number 21914 in the subject line to be considered for the role.

SENIOR BUSINESS ARCHITECT HM Health Solutions Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, has work-at-home Senior Business Archi t ect pos it ion (w/a b ility to telecommute w/approp. telecommuting sys.; remote worksite must be w/in commuting distance of Pittsburgh, PA for weekly trips to corp. office) to be responsible for supporting principles, direction, & standards as they relate to bus. process solution frmwrk.

Spec. duties incl. defining, preping, & modeling current & future state bus. process flows that can be used in future analysis to extend & mature bus. architecture & perform gap analysis. Apply at https://careers.highmarkhealth.org, using keyword J187544.

LEAD DECISION SUPPORT ANALYST Highmark Health, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, has work-at-home Lead Decision Support Analyst position (w/ability to telecommute w/appropriate telecommuting sys.; remote worksite must be w/in commuting distance of Pittsburgh, PA for weekly trips to corp. office) to be responsible for creating analyzable data structures thru extraction, transfer, & loading of data (data ETL) sets for relational databases. Apply at https://careers.highmarkhealth.org, using keyword J187534.

COMMUNITY IMPACT OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Office The Community Impact Operations Associate provides support for the Community Impact department’s smooth internal operation, with a focus on financial tracking. The Operations Associate will help ensure compliance and support cross-departmental collaboration and internal organizational efforts including finance-based administrative duties for all 211 Regions served by UWSWPA and other administrative tasks and special projects as assigned.

Associate degree in business administration, computer science, or related field, or equivalent combination of educ at ion and e x p e ri e n c e .

Prefer 1-2 years’ relevant work experience, ideally including project budgeting and financial tracking.

Visit our website at https://uwswpa.org/careers/ to view job description and apply for this position. Submissions will only be accepted electronically.

The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity, serving Allegheny, Butler, Westmoreland, Fayette, and Armstrong counties

WAYFINDING COORDINATOR Responsible for ensuring creation of, quality control review of, and asset management of permanent communications materials that the public interacts with directly on a day-to-day basis, including but not limited to: bus stop sign updates, timetable updates, field maps, and at-stop panel information cards for scheduled changes to service.

Ensures that all wayfinding and public information materials align with adopted guidelines and standards for simplicity, consistency, and transparency of information to the public. Works with Transit Amenities Support Specialists and Service Development Associates to ensure materials are updated in a timely manner to ensure the most correct information is available at all times to customers..

Essential Functions: • L e a d s a n d c oordi nates the development and implementation of static signage and wayfinding program; executes program to support Wayfinding program objectives; establishes methodology and standards to evaluate new signage requests, projects, and criteria; implements and tacks signage activities; and monitors and controls signage projects throughout the life of the program.

Leads the design, fabrication and installation of large-scale signage projects integrating customer signage into facilities for all modes.

•Develops, updates, maintains, and enforces applicable agency signage and wayfinding design guidelines, graphics, and standards. Works collaboratively across Agency divisions and projects to develop, monitor and maintain signage standards to ensure all customer signage (static) and related information displays are current, consistent and comply with established standards providing a consistent user-experience and system-wide visual strategy. Provides independent assessments of signage performance to analyze wayfinding issues, develops solutions and recommended changes, and integrates improvements to existing standards and processes where applicable.

Job requirements include: •B A / B S d e g r e e i n B u s i n e s s Administration, Analytics, Urban Planning, or related field from an accredited school or minimum of four (4) years’ experience in scheduling or directly related field. Directly related experience may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.

•Two (2) or more years’ experience in transit planning, asset management, communications, customer service, or related field.

•Previous transportation or wayfinding/ signage experience required.

•Techniques to work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines and adjust to changing priorities.

•Strong work ethic and ability to multi-task with a vigorous attention to detail.

•Demonstrated organizational skills.

•Ability to work independently and in a team environment.

•Knowledge and familiarity with computer systems and database applications.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows and Microsoft Word and Excel.

•Valid PA driver’s license must be obtained within 90 days of starting the position.

Preferred attributes: •Experience using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign.

•Experience with graphical or marketing design software.

•Experience with wayfinding or signage.

•Knowledge of Allegheny County.

•Knowledge of public transit.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Danielle Jacobson Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 DJacobson@portauthority.org EOE

To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

SONNY BOY

5 1 7

0 3 4

2 9 8

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Help Wanted

Legal Notices

FINANCE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER Attack Theatre seeks a Finance and Business Operations Manager. $20 - $30/hour, part-time, approx.

20-30 hrs/wk, (flexible schedule).

Responsibilities: Support operations in the areas of financial administration, budgeting, human resources/relations and general administration. Must have 3-5 years accounting experience, non-profit business management and familiarity with human resources management. More info: www.attacktheatre.com/employment

Estate of JAMES E. ZANOS, Deceased of Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-07060 ,Nicole Conaway, Executor, or to Travis J. Dunn, Atty, 6 Clairton Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15236

ASSISTANT MANAGER OF RAILCAR MAINTENANCE Port Authority is seeking an Assistant Manager of Railcar Maintenance to direct, coordinate, and monitor all aspects of the Railcar maintenance functions. Ensures vehicle safety, reliability, cleanliness and optimum operating conditions.

Essential Functions: •Responsible for all daily maintenance-related activities such as vehicle running and heavy repairs, vehicle cleaning, daily vehicle servicing, and the coordination of building maintenance.

•Responsible for Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Electric Mass Transit Inspection and scheduled preventive maintenance programs and the development of a long-term work plan. Monitors program performance and maintenance of inspection records.

•Responsible for all activities of Vehicle Overhaul program; including development of long term work plan, development of new overhaul procedures, production and submittal of monthly program statements.

Monitors program performance and maintenance of overhaul records.

Job requirements include: •Associate Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical/ Electronic Technology; or equivalent military or technical program in a directly related area from an accredited school. Supervisory related experience may be substituted for education requirements on a year for year basis.

•Minimum of two (2) years of supervisory experience in a fleet maintenance environment.

•Demonstrated ability in Windows and Microsoft Word.

•Effective and professional communication and organizational skills.

Preferred attributes: •Participative leadership style.

•Experience in statistical process control.

•BA/BS Degree in Business, Transportation or a directly related technical field from an accredited school.

•Supervisory experience in Railcar Maintenance.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Robyn Taylor Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 RTaylor@portauthority.org EOE LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of BARBARA A. STRUCKER, Deceased of Port Vue, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-06543 ,Robert J. Sabol, Administrator, or to Travis J. Dunn, Atty, 6 Clairton Blvd.

Pittsburgh, PA 15236 Estate of ROBERT A. SABOL, Deceased of Whitaker, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-06534 ,Robert J. Sabol, Administrator, or to Travis J. Dunn, Atty, 6 Clairton Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15236 Estate of MARIAN N. MOONEY, Deceased of Franklin Park Borough, PA, Estate No. 4460 of 2020 ,Regena McKinney, Admrx., 473 Hooker Road, West Sunbury, PA 16061, or to Michael J. Witherel, Esq., Witherel & Associates, 966 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Estate of STANLEY R. CLARK, Deceased of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-07101 ,Mary L. Clark, Administrator., 656 Oxford Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15243, or to Aubrey H. Glover, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC., 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of BRIAN L. MCALISTER, Deceased of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-06711 ,Jamie McAlister, Executor, or to Travis J. Dunn, Atty, 6 Clairton Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15236

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of DOROTHY E. PARR, deceased, Case No. 020905508: Notice is hereby given that on July 21, 2021, a Petition was filed by Kevin Jay Parr to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Dorothy E. Parr, deceased, in the real estate located at 644 Charles Way, Braddock, PA 15104 and determine that fee simple title is in Kevin Jay Parr. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 20 days of the date of this Notice, Kevin Jay Parr will seek an Order adjudging that the title of Dorothy E. Parr is vested in Petitioner.

America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Classifieds 412-481-8302 Ext. 140 E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Notice

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS September 29, 2021 City of Pittsburgh-Office of Management and Budget 414 Grant Street Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2211 This notice shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Pittsburgh.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS – CDBG PROJECT On or about Monday, October 18th the City of Pittsburgh will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended for the real estate project described below.

Northside Properties Residences III consists of the rehabilitation of sixty-eight (68) units located within sixty-seven (67) buildings across the California-Kirkbride, Central Northside, and Perry South neighborhoods of the City of Pittsburgh. Rehabilitation is to include complete interior renovation to make for more modern and functional units while extending units’ lifespan.

Seven (7) units will be available at or below 20% AMI, five (5) units at or below 30% AMI, twenty-four (24) units at or below 50% AMI, and thirty-two (32) units at or below 60% AMI. The developer of the project is Northside Properties R&S LLC. Funding sources include a $6,724,366 first mortgage construction loan from Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, a $950,000 Pittsburgh Development Fund (PDF) second mortgage loan from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA), a $700,000 Rental Housing Development & Improvement Program (RHDIP) third mortgage loan from the URA, a $700,000 Rental Gap Program (RGP) fourth mortgage loan from the Housing Opportunity Fund (HOF), $10,096,928 in 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity, $2,456,060 in Historic Tax Credit (HTC) equity, and $3,927,095 in seller note cash flow, interim income, and deferred development fee. The $700,000 RHDIP loan will be sourced with federal funds, including $10,169 in CDBG 2017, $150,000 in CDBG 2018, $500,000 in CDBG 2019, and $39,831 in CDBG Repay. Additionally, all sixty-eight (68) units will be supported by a Housing Payments Assistance (HAP) contract from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The total estimated cost of the development is $25,554,449.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT – CDBG PROJECT The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at 414 Grant Street, Room 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 and may be examined or copied weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to: Whitney Finnstrom City of Pittsburgh, 414 Grant Street, Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2211 All comments received by Monday, October 18th will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that William Peduto in his capacity as Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied.

HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Urban Redevelopment Authority to use development funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to: Phillip.E.McKeough@hud.gov 412-644-5846 Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

William Peduto Mayor City of Pittsburgh

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

T

B6

CLASSIFIEDS

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Notice

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS September 29, 2021 City of Pittsburgh-Office of Management and Budget rant treet Suite 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2211 This notice shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Pittsburgh.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS – CDBG PROJECT On or about October , the City of Pittsburgh will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended for two (2) real estate projects.

The first development, heptytsky Arms Apartments, is a categorically excluded project subject to . . The project is a renovation of an existing apartment building to include forty-nine (49) affordable housing units. Forty (40) units will be made affordable to tenants at or below 30% AMI, seven (7) units will be affordable at or below 50% AMI, and two (2) units will be affordable at or below 60% AMI. The location of the building is 3505 Mexico St. in the City of Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood. The developer of the project is heptytsky Arms Apartments P. The funding sources include $3,942,000 of a PHFA first mortgage loan, $500,000 of 2020 Housing Opportunity Funds, $250,000 of 2020 CDBG funds, in Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity, and $1,266,200 from a combination of the deferred developer fee, income during construction, seller note, seller note interest, and transferred reserves. The total estimated cost of the development is .

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT – CDBG PROJECT The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at 414 Grant Street, Suite 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 and may be examined or copied weekdays from a.m. to p.m.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS – HOME PROJECT The second development, CLT at the ire ite is an Environmentally Assessed project. It is a new construction project by City of Bridges Community and Trust (CBCLT) in the Polish Hill neighborhood. The development will include four (4) single-family housing units affordable to buyers at or below AM . All the units will be part of the community land trust stewarded by CBCLT, who will maintain a 99-ground lease on the properties. The funding sources include $200,000 of a first mortgage loan from irst Commonwealth Bank, $750,000 of Federal Home Loan Bank’s Affordable Housing Program (AHP) funds, from the Hill Foundation, and $60,000 of PHARE funds, a UPIF loan in the amount of $340,411 and a For Sale Development Program (FSDP) grant in the amount of $400,000. The $400,000 FSDP will be funded with Housing Opportunity Funds in the amount $200,000 and OM in the amount of OM in the amount of $99,938 and HOME 2020 in the amount of . The total estimated cost of the development is .

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT – HOME PROJECT The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at 414 Grant Street, Suite 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 and may be examined or copied weekdays from a.m. to p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to: hitney innstrom City of Pittsburgh, rant treet uite Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2211 All comments received by October will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that illiam Peduto in his capacity as Mayor City of Pittsburgh consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Urban Redevelopment Authority to use development funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen 15 days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whiche er is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at C part (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by C Part before approval of a release of funds by or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures ( C Part ec. . ) and shall be addressed via email or phone to: Phillip. .Mc eough hud.go Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period. illiam Peduto Mayor City of Pittsburgh

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Notice

Public Notice

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS September 29, 2021 City of Pittsburgh-Office of Management and Budget rant treet Suite 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2211 This notice shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Pittsburgh.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS – HOME PROJECT On or about October , the City of Pittsburgh will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended for one (1) real estate project.

The development, arfield ighlands, involves the new construction of single-family affordable rental housing to create (25) affordable housing units. Three (3) units will be made affordable to tenants at or below 30% AMI, thirteen (13) units will be affordable at or below 50% AMI, and nine (9) units will be affordable at or below 60% AMI. The 25 units are to be constructed upon lots that currently contain vacant land or abandoned housing.

The project is located on scattered sites on North Aiken Avenue, Rosetta Street, and incaid Street, located the City of Pittsburghs Garfield neighborhood. The developer of the project is arfield ighlands P. The funding sources include $7,419,573 in 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit Equity, of Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program Funds, of deferred developer fee, $540,000 of 2020 Housing Opportunity Funds, $36,393 of OM funds, $95,173 of HOME 2019 funds, and of HOME 2020 funds. The total estimated cost of the development is .

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT – HOME PROJECT The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at 414 Grant Street, Suite 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 and may be examined or copied weekdays from a.m. to p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to: hitney innstrom City of Pittsburgh, rant treet uite Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2211 All comments received by October , will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that illiam Peduto in his capacity as Mayor City of Pittsburgh, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied.

HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Urban Redevelopment Authority to use development funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whiche er is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at C part (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by C Part before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures ( C Part ec. . ) and shall be addressed to: Phillip. .Mc eough hud.go Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period. illiam Peduto Mayor City of Pittsburgh

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE CO AC O. he Allegheny County anitary Authority is soliciting Bids for CO AC O. urnish and eli er ime. Proposals will be received until A.M., Prevailing Time, ednesday October at the office of the Authority and then shall be publicly opened and read via Microsoft Teams Meeting.

Contact athleen P. niatowski for n itation to Bid Opening eams Meeting at athleen. niatowski alcosan.org .

ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Proposals or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to the successful bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority or women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible.

Bid ecurity is re uired and shall be furnished by providing with the id a Certified Check or id ond in the amount of . .

To Obtain Contract ocuments send request to athleen P. niatowski via email at contract.clerks alcosan.org .

Any questions regarding the echnical Aspects of the Project should be directed to Ben amin . eilman Contract uper isor at Ben amin. eilman alcosan.org or .

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, to waive any informality in any Proposal and to accept any Proposal should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE CO AC O. he Allegheny County anitary Authority is soliciting Bids for CO AC O. urnish and eli er Caustic oda iaphragm rade. Proposals will be received until A.M., Prevailing Time, hursday October 21, 2021 at the office of the Authority and then shall be publicly opened and read via Microsoft Teams Meeting. Contact athleen P. niatowski for n itation to Bid Opening eams Meeting at athleen. niatowski alcosan.org .

ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Proposals or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to the successful bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority or women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible.

Bid ecurity is re uired and shall be furnished by providing with the id a Certified Check or id ond in the amount of . .

To Obtain Contract ocuments se nd r equest t o at hl een P. niatowski via email at contract.clerks alcosan.org .

Any questions regarding the echnical Aspects of the Project should be directed to Ben amin . eilman Contract uper isor at Ben amin. eilman alcosan.org or .

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, to waive any informality in any Proposal and to accept any Proposal should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so.

lectronic Proposal - business website (http ebusiness.portauthority.org) Bid Number B210971A B210972 B210973A B210974A B210976A B210977A

Bid Name Bus HVAC Return Filters Extended Glass for Operator's Barriers Brake Drums - Coach EGR Coolers - Cummins Engines Cohesity NAS & Smart Files Janitorial Supplies - Cleaning Products

Paper Proposal - ocuments are a ailable for the following item at Port Authority s Main Offices ixth A enue 1

SONNY BOY

LEGAL ADVERTISING

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due a.m. on October and will be read at a.m., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (Please contact the respecti e Contract pecialist for ele-Conference dial-in information for the Bid Opening), for the following:

1 2 3 4 5 6

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

hird loor Pittsburgh Pennsyl ania

Bid Number B210975A

-

Bid Name Unleaded Gasoline

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held via tele-conference on each of the above items at a.m. on eptember . Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. uestions regarding any of the abo e bids will not be entertained by the Port Authority within fi e ( ) business days of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Contractor is responsible for expenses related to ac uiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be OB deli ered unless otherwise specified. Costs for deli ery bond and insurance shall be included in bidder s proposal pricing.

Port Authority of Allegheny County hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. he Board of Port Authority reser es the right to re ect any or all bids.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY Ben amin . eilman Contract uper isor CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY Ben amin . eilman Contract uper isor

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH PUBLIC NOTICE OF REVISED FLAT RENT SCHEDULE 2022 he ousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), in accordance with federal law and regulation, is proposing revisions to its Low Income Public Housing Flat Rent Schedule.

The revised 2022 HACP Flat Rent Schedule is available for review and comment from September 27, 2021 to October on the HACP Web Site: www.hacp.org Copies of the 2022 Flat Rent Schedule can be obtained by contacting the ACP Asset anagement office at .

A Public earing to receive public comments on the revised 2022 ACP lat ent chedule will be held on hursday October 2021 at a.m. and p.m. via Zoom: a.m. ia oom Meeting Passcode ( )- - Passcode p.m. ia oom Meeting Passcode ( ) Passcode 704223 Written comments on the HACP Flat Rent Schedule m ust be addressed to 2022 HACP Flat Rent Schedule. Comments must be received by close of business (5:00 p.m.) on October and sent to the following e-mail address: michelle.ralston hacp.org or call .

Once approved, the final revised HACP Flat Rent Schedule will be effective ecember .

Persons with disabilities requiring assistance or alternative formats, or wishing to submit comments in alternative formats, can contact the HACP ADA/504 Coordinator at xtension . All other questions should be addressed to the xecuti e Office at .

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT INVITATION FOR BID CO AC O. AC ATREE REMOVAL & TRIMMING SERVICES he Allegheny County ousing Authority is requesting Bids from qualified Contractors to provide ree emo al rimming er ices throughout ACHA jurisdiction.

Invitation for Bids and Contract Documents are on file and may be obtained at no charge from the Allegheny County Housing Authority, 301 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136, or by contacting uy Phillips gphillips achsng.com - .

A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held in the Authority’s Boardroom on ednesday October , at a.m. Bid submittals are due no later than a.m. uesday o ember at 301 Chartiers Ave., Mckees Rocks, PA 15136.

The Authority encourages responses from §3 business concerns, small firms, minority firms and firms that have not previously performed work for the ACHA. The Allegheny County Housing Authority reserves the right to reject any and all submissions.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY rank Agga io xecuti e irector

LEGAL AD REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL he Allegheny County epartment of uman er ices recently issued a e uest for Proposal ( P) for Housing and Healthcare Coordinated Programs for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2021 Bonus Funding. Due ate p.m. astern ime on riday October .

For more details and submission information, visit: www.alleghenycounty.us umaner ices esources oing-Business olicitations-( P ).aspx. rin alton irector

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIEDS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT Separate sealed Bids for the Work as listed hereinafter will be received at the Purchasing and Materials Management Department of Port Authority of Allegheny County (Authority) Heinz 57 Center, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, 15222-2527 untiil 1:30pm on October 27, 2021 (Please call David Hart at (412) 566-5415 prior to arriving at this location – all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals) and will be opened and read at 2 :00 p.m. via teleconference at: toll free phone number 1-855-453-6957 and conference ID #4485786. Each Bidder shall be solely responsible for assuring that its Bid is both received and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department at or before the advertised time for submission of Bids. Bidders submitting bids via FedEx, UPS, USPS or other carrier must immediately provide tracking information to the assigned contract specialist via e-mail.

Upon delivery, bidder will notify the assigned contract specialist with an e-mailed receipt. Bids received or time stamped in the Purchasing and Materials Management Department after the advertised time for the submission of Bids shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for Award.

Monongahela Incline Phase II Rehabilitation CONTRACT NO. MON-21-13-G CONTRACT NO. MON-21-13-H CONTRACT NO. MON-21-13-E The Work of this Project includes, but is not limited to, the furnishing of all work related to: 1.CONTRACT NO. MON-21-13-G: Structural Work to include gabion replacement, rock stabilization, rail repair, concrete repair, drainage work and rail painting.

Drive sheave replacement including Work to fabricate and replace the drive sheaves for the incline.

Architectural Work to include tile replacement, painting, refinishing existing wood trim, door and window replacement, sloped roof replacement with standing seam metal roof, low slope roof single ply membrane roof replacement, and new decorative railings.

2.CONTRACT NO. MON-21-13-H: HVAC Work to include exhaust fan installation and controls, actuator and controls replacement, and duct modifications.

3.CONTRACT NO. MON-21-13-E: Instrumentation and Controls work to include new SCADA and controls systems, new incline door signals and operators, new proximity switches, new E-Stop system, new operator workstation, and vehicle power systems upgrades.

Electrical Work to include service upgrades, new power distribution, new generator, UPS, and incline track lighting replacement.

Bid Documents will be available for public inspection and may be obtained on or after September 27, 2021 at Authority’s offices at the following address (If you are picking up bid documents, please call David Hart at (412) 566-5415 prior to arriving at this location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals): Port Authority of Allegheny County Purchasing and Materials Management Department Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527 Bid Documents are available for purchase as follows: Bid Documents are available in an electronic form on compact disk upon payment of $15 per Compact Disc (CD). Payment shall be by check or money order (NO CASH), payable to “Port Authority of Allegheny County.” No refunds of payment will be made. Upon request, Bid Documents can be mailed upon receipt of payment in full. Should the purchaser wish to have the Bid Documents delivered via special delivery, such as UPS or Federal Express, the purchaser shall provide its appropriate account numbers for such special delivery methods.

This Project may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Authority, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, require that certified iverse usinesses (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts for this Project.

In this regard, all Bidders shall make good faith efforts in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for and perform contracts. Bidders shall also not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts for this Project. If aid is required to involve DBs in the Work, Bidders are to contact Authority’s Director of Employee Relations and OEO at (412) 566-5262.

The Bidder’s attention is directed to the following contacts for Bidder’s questions: Procedural Questions Regarding Bidding: David Hart (412) 566-5415 All other questions relating to the Bid Documents must be submitted by mail or email to: Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 Attn: David Hart email: DHart@Portauthority.org (412) 566-5415 In addition, the Bidder’s attention is directed to the following schedule of activities for preparation of its Bid: 9:00 AM October 13, 2021

9:00 AM October 14, 2021

Pre-Bid Conference will be conducted via teleconference at: Toll free phone number 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786 (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended) Pre-Bid Site Tour Contractors to meet at: Monongahela Incline - Upper Station 4 Grandview Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15211 All participants must provide and wear safety vests and appropriate footwear; all participants must provide and wear amask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals. Tours will be conducted in limited group sizes and in the order of which bidders sign-in atthe site.

(Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.)

1:30 p.m.

October 27, 2021

Bids Due Purchasing and Materials Management Department Please call David Hart at (412) 566-5415 prior to arriving at the Heinz 57 location all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals.

Bids submitted via Fed Ex, UPS, USPS or other carrier are subject to the notification re uirements indicated above

Bid Opening will be conducted @ 2:00 p.m. via teleconference at: Toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786 Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Bids ARTICLE 2 – PRE-BID CONFERENCE A Pre-Bid Conference may be held with prospective Bidders to review the Bid Documents and generally discuss the Project. The time and place will be specified in the Advertisement. All idders are encouraged to submit their questions in writing to the respective individuals listed in the Advertisement prior to the time specified in the Advertisement for the Pre- id Conference.

A response may be provided during the Pre-Bid Conference or by Addendum thereafter.

ARTICLE 3 – PRE-BID TOUR If a site tour is to be conducted covering the area(s) of the Work, it will be held at the date and time indicated in the Advertisement.

ARTICLE 4 – PUBLIC OPENING OF BIDS Bids will be publicly opened and announced at the advertised time and place set for such Bid opening.

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT Separate sealed Bids for the Work as listed hereinafter will be received at the Purchasing and Materials Management Department of Port Authority of Allegheny County (Authority) Heinz 57 Center, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222-2527 until 1:30 p.m. on October 29, 2021 (Please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at this location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals) and will be opened and read at 2:00 p.m. via teleconference at: (toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 and conference ID #4485786).

Each Bidder shall be solely responsible for assuring that its Bid is both received and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department at or before the advertised time for submission of Bids. Bidders submitting bids via FedEx, UPS, USPS, or other carrier must immediately provide tracking information to the assigned contract specialist via email. Upon delivery, bidder will notify the assigned contract specialist with an e-mailed receipt. Bids received or time stamped in the Purchasing and Materials Management Department after the advertised time for the submission of Bids shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for Award.

MANCHESTER AND PITT TOWER HVAC AND ELECTRICAL UPGRADES CONTRACT NO. SYS-21-14 G CONTRACT NO. SYS-21-14 H CONTRACT NO. SYS-21-14 E The Work of this Project includes, but is not limited to, the furnishing of all labor, materials, equipment, tools, supervision, and incidental items necessary to perform HVAC upgrades at Manchester Garage, HVAC upgrades and additions to Pitt tower, Electrical service entrance modifications at Pitt Tower, and roofing, steel, and concrete work to support the HVAC and electrical upgrades at Pitt Tower. Additional work includes concrete replacement, and generator installation.

Bid Documents will be available for public inspection and may be obtained on or after September 29, 2021 at Authority’s offices at the following address (If you are picking up bid documents, please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at this location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals): Port Authority of Allegheny County Purchasing and Materials Management Department Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527 Bid Documents are available for purchase as follows: Bid Documents are available in an electronic form on compact disk upon payment of $15.00 per CD. Payment shall be by check or money order (NO CASH), payable to “Port Authority of Allegheny County.” No refunds of payment will be made. Upon request, Bid Documents can be mailed upon receipt of payment in full. Should the purchaser wish to have the Bid Documents delivered via special delivery, such as UPS or Federal Express, the purchaser shall provide its appropriate account numbers for such special delivery methods.

This Project may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Authority, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, require that certified iverse usinesses (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts for this Project.

In this regard, all Bidders shall make good faith efforts in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for and perform contracts. Bidders shall also not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts for this Project. If aid is required to involve DBs in the Work, Bidders are to contact Authority’s Director of Employee Relations and OEO at (412) 566-5262.

The Bidder’s attention is directed to the following contacts for Bidder’s questions: Procedural Questions Regarding Bidding: Cynthia Denner – Authority cdenner@portauthority.org (412) 566-5117 All other questions relating to the Bid Documents must be submitted by mail or email to: Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 Attn: Cynthia Denner cdenner@portauthority.org In addition, the Bidder’s attention is directed to the following schedule of activities for preparation of its Bid: 9:00 a.m.

October 8, 2021

9:00 a.m.

October 11, 2021

Pre-Bid Conference will be conducted via teleconference at: Toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786 (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.)

Pre-Bid Site Tour Contractors to initially meet at: Manchester Main Shop 2235 Beaver Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233 Followed by: Pitt Tower

(Pitt Tower site tour immediately follows Manchester site tour.)

All participants must provide and wear safety vests and appropriate footwear; all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals.

Tours will be conducted in limited group sizes and in the order of which bidders sign-in at the site. (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.)

1:30 p.m.

October 29, 2021

Bids Due Purchasing and Materials Management Department Please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at the Heinz 57 location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals.

Bids submitted via FedEx, UPS, USPS, or other carrier are subject to the notification re uirements indicated above.

Bid Opening will be conducted @ 2:00 p.m. via teleconference at: Toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786

Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Bids

America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Classifieds 412-481-8302 Ext. 140

E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication

B7

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR MULTIPLE INSURANCE LINES RFP #700-35-21 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Multiple Insurance Lines The documents will be available no later than September 20, 2021 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 AM on October 12, 2021. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 AM on October 12, 2021 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may be still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to: Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on September 2, 2021 at 10:00 AM. Please see meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 995 5142 4707 Passcode: 202164 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP’s has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT PUBLICATION DATE: October 1, 2021 1.The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (“Authority”) shall accept sealed bids for the performance of the work described below (the “Work”) at its office at oulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, October 19, 2021.

2.DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The Project entails limited floor slab repairs at the Brookline Lot. 3.The Instructions to Bidders, including the Form of Bid, Form of Agreement, General Conditions, Plans and Specifications, and oom meeting information will be made available after 3:00 p.m. local time on Friday, October 1, 2021, via email request to the Authority’s Project Management Department at tsowinski@pittsburghparking.com.

4.A Mandatory pre-bid conference will be held virtually via Zoom at 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, October 5, 2021. The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to provide additional detail regarding the Work.

The information provided at the pre-bid conference will be essential in preparing a bid to perform the Work. Persons or entities that intend to submit bids to perform the Work are required to join into the pre-bid conference via oom with at least one representative who will understand the information presented at the pre-bid conference in a manner that allows such information to be incorporated in the preparation of the bid to perform the Work. It is expected that the representative who attends the pre-bid conference will be experienced in construction matters and employed by the bidder in a supervisory capacity. Virtual Zoom Pre-bid attendance is mandatory, and each attendee must sign in via online form.

5.Sealed bids must be dropped off to the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, no later than 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, bids received prior to the deadline will be publicly opened and read 2:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, virtually via Zoom meeting.

6.Each bid submitted must be accompanied by a bid guaranty of ten percent (10%) of the proposed bid in the form of a bid bond, certified cashier ’s or treasurer ’s check payable to the Authority.

7.The Authority reserves the right to in its sole discretion, (i) change, at any time prior to the bid deadline at 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, the Contract Documents; (ii) waive any defect, irregularities, or informality in any or all submitted bids; and (iii) reject any or all submitted bids.

David G. Onorato Executive Director

B8

CLASSIFIEDS

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

DOCUMENT 00030-AA ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA PROJECT NUMBER 21TPFS01 (PLUMBING/FIRE SUPPRESSION) TMP TERMINAL – PLUMBING/FIRE SUPPRESSION BID PACKAGE AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ELECTRONIC BIDS & BID OPENING PROCEDURE: Electronic Bids will be received by the Allegheny County Airport Authority until 1:00 P.M. prevailing local time, November 17, 2021.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, the ACAA is modifying its typical bid opening process; the formal bid opening procedure will be conducted virtually – any/ all firms submitting a id to the ACAA will be given special access to view the opening event. Once bidding is closed, any/all firms submitting a bid will be issued an Invitation (via email) to access the formal bid opening event via a live webcast. idders will also be notified of the results via an email within (24) hours of the id Opening event.

ACCESS TO BID PACKAGE DOCUMENTS: ALL BIDDERS shall be required to provide a completed formal id ocument Request application in order to purchase bidding documents for any/all of the above listed Project Numbers.

No bidding documents will be issued prior to the Authority’s Construction Manager having a copy of a fully completed Request Application. id ocument Request Applications can be obtained by sending a Request to the following email address: MPBids flypittsburgh.com On the Subject Line, include the following: “Bid Documents Request – 21TPFS01 (TMP TERMINAL – PLUMBING/FIRE SUPPRESSION)”.

Although documents will not be available until September 27, 2021, applications may be submitted prior to this date.

Once a bidder’s request has been received, provided it is complete, and provided the requesting party is not barred from bidding the work, the CM will provide access for the bidder to access and download the bid documents through Building Connected, a web-based bid management platform.

A PREBID CONFERENCE – Wednesday, October 7, 2021 – 10:00 AM (Bidders are strongly encouraged to review the plans prior to the meeting.)

The meeting will be a Microsoft Teams Meeting. To join the meeting the following number can be called (877) 286-5733 - United States (Toll-Free) Conference . Please email MPBids flypittsburgh.com to receive the link to join by computer.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not permit any idders to tour the site. In lieu thereof, the Construction Management Team (CM) will conduct a Virtual Prebid Meeting. In addition to addressing administration issues, a video tour of the work areas will be provided. Specific details on how interested idders can view this broadcast will be provided as part of the id Documents via Building Connected. Note that no questions can be asked during this Prebid Meeting. Any/all questions must be issued to the CM as an “RFI”.

There will be no site visits – photographs of the site will be included in the contract documents or issued via addendum.

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (RFIs) Any/all questions related to this project must be made in writing to the CM. RFIs are to be sent to the CM via the Building Connected website.

BID SUBMISSION Proposals must be made on the Authority’s forms and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the “Instructions to Bidders”’.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not be accepting any hard copy bids for this Project. Accordingly, Electronic Bids are the only form that the ACAA will accept. While the Instructions to idders will provide more details, for an Electronic id to be accepted it must be sent through Building Connected and it must be received by no later than the established id ate and Time deadline.

OTHER ISSUES Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages as determined by the General Wage Determinations issued under the Davis-Bacon and related Acts must be paid on these projects.

This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania nified Certification Program (PAUCP). Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PAUCP web site: https://paucp.dbesystem.com/ The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of one-hundred-twenty [120] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.

To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents, visit www.flypittsburgh.com under ACAA Corporate – Business Opportunities or www.pittransformed.com – Opportunities – Business Opportunities.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH Request for Proposals (RFP) for Green Physical Needs Assessment/Integrated Energy Audit (GPNA) RFP 600-32-21 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests proposals from qualified professionals to provide Green Physical eeds Assessment/Integrated Energy Audit (GPNA) for various HACP properties.

RFP documents will be available on or about September 20th, 2021.

A virtual Pre-Submission Conference will be held on September 29, 2021 at 10:00am at the following link: Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/93665752999?pwd=Q2k5ZlF2a1pFSjlsZWdIWThSbmZLQT09 Meeting ID: 936 6575 2999 Passcode: 690089 One tap mobile +19292056099,,93665752999#,,,,*690089# US (New York) +13017158592,,93665752999#,,,,*690089# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 936 6575 2999 Passcode: 690089 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ak2lwonab The deadline for final submission of written questions is October 5, 2021 at 10:00am.

The eadline for submission of proposals is October 26, 2021 at 10:00am.

Proposals must be sent to: Mr. im etrick Procurement irector Contracting Officer Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor – Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 The ousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing of 10:00 AM on October 26, 2021.

Copies of RFP documents are not available for in person pickup. Firms interested in responding may obtain a copy of the Request For Proposals documents from the usiness Opportunities Section of the HACP website, www.hacp.org. Prospective idders may register as a vendor on the website and download the documents free of charge.

The ousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person on October 26, 2021 from 8:00 AM until the closing of 10:00 AM on October 26, 2021. ids may still be submitted electronically at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/I7OT8K3AdiGLNgoX77ld and can still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and ate Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THIS SOLICITATION. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH

ACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title II, the air ousing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1 , the Americans with isabilities Act, The PA uman Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

DOCUMENT 00030-AA ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA PROJECT NUMBER 21TM01 (HVAC) TMP TERMINAL - HVAC BID PACKAGE at PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ELECTRONIC BIDS & BID OPENING PROCEDURE: Electronic Bids will be received by the Allegheny County Airport Authority until 1:00 P.M. prevailing local time, November 17, 2021.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, the ACAA is modifying its typical bid opening process; the formal bid opening procedure will be conducted virtually – any/ all firms submitting a id to the ACAA will be given special access to view the opening event. Once bidding is closed, any/all firms submitting a bid will be issued an Invitation (via email) to access the formal bid opening event via a live webcast. idders will also be notified of the results via an email within (24) hours of the id Opening event.

ACCESS TO BID PACKAGE DOCUMENTS: ALL BIDDERS shall be required to provide a completed formal id ocument Request application in order to purchase bidding documents for any/all of the above listed Project Numbers.

No bidding documents will be issued prior to the Authority’s Construction Manager having a copy of a fully completed Request Application. id ocument Request Applications can be obtained by sending a Request to the following email address: MPBids flypittsburgh.com On the Subject Line, include the following: “Bid Documents Request – 21TM01 (TMP TERMINAL - HVAC)”.

Although documents will not be available until September 27, 2021, applications may be submitted prior to this date.

Once a bidder’s request has been received, provided it is complete, and provided the requesting party is not barred from bidding the work, the CM will provide access for the bidder to access and download the bid documents through Building Connected, a web-based bid management platform.

A PREBID CONFERENCE – Wednesday, October 7, 2021 – 1:00 PM (Bidders are strongly encouraged to review the plans prior to the meeting.)

The meeting will be a Microsoft Teams Meeting. To join the meeting the following number can be called (877) 286-5733 - United States (Toll-Free) – Conference . Please email MPBids flypittsburgh.com to receive the link to join by computer.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not permit any idders to tour the site. In lieu thereof, the Construction Management Team (CM) will conduct a Virtual Prebid Meeting. In addition to addressing administration issues, a video tour of the work areas will be provided. Specific details on how interested idders can view this broadcast will be provided as part of the id ocuments via Building Connected. Note that no questions can be asked during this Prebid Meeting. Any/all questions must be issued to the CM as an “RFI”.

There will be no site visits – photographs of the site will be included in the contract documents or issued via addendum.

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (RFIs) Any/all questions related to this project must be made in writing to the CM. RFIs are to be sent to the CM via the Building Connected website.

BID SUBMISSION Proposals must be made on the Authority’s forms and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the “Instructions to Bidders”’.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not be accepting any hard copy bids for this Project. Accordingly, Electronic Bids are the only form that the ACAA will accept. While the Instructions to idders will provide more details, for an Electronic id to be accepted it must be sent through Building Connected and it must be received by no later than the established id ate and Time deadline.

OTHER ISSUES Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages as determined by the General Wage Determinations issued under the Davis-Bacon and related Acts must be paid on these projects.

This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania nified Certification Program (PAUCP). Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PAUCP web site: https://paucp.dbesystem.com/ The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of one-hundred-twenty [120] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.

To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents, visit www.flypittsburgh.com under ACAA Corporate Business Opportunities or www.pittransformed.com – Opportunities – Business Opportunities.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR COMBUSTION AND HOT WATER SERVICES AUTHORITY WIDE IFB #300-26-21 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified irms or Individuals capable of providing the following service s Combustion and Hot Water Services Authority Wide The documents will be available no later than September 20, 2021 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 AM on October 12, 2021. The ousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on October 12, 2021 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. ids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may be still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the usiness Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to: Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on September 16, 2021 at 9:00 AM. Please see meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 944 4005 8796 Passcode: 262954 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) The ousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP’s has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh ACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title II, the air ousing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA uman Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) FOR omewood orth ater nfiltration emediation Building AMPHACP IFB NO. 600-28-21 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the omewood orth ater nfiltration emediation Building#5 – AMP 20 The construction work is estimated to begin in Spring of 2022. id ocuments will be available on or about Monday, September 20, 2021 and may be obtained from the ousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh s webpage, www.hacp.org. idders may register on the website and download the bid documents free of charge. Electronic versions of the id ocuments, including bid forms, project manual, and drawings can be picked up in person, (by appointment) Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Steve Graziani, Project Manager 412-320-6080 A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Thursday, October 7, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.: Homewood North Community Room 10 Albertice Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 idders shall come prepared to review all aspects of the construction site necessary to prepare a bid.

Bids will be received at: HACP Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attn: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement until 10:00 a.m. October 28, 2021 at which time and place all bids will be received.

HACP will also accept online submissions for this Invitation for id in addition to accepting submissions at our 100 Ross Street office. For respondents wishing to submit online, please access the instructions provided in the project manual to submit the bid digitally. In addition to the electronic submittal above, The ousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the bid opening time of 10:00 AM on October 28, 2021 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Sealed bids may still be mailed via SPS at which time they will be Time and ate Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. All bids must be received at the above address no later than October 28, 2021 at 10:00 a.m., regardless of the selected delivery mechanism. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH reserves the right to waive any informality in, or reject any and all bids. No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of the HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted Construction Contracts.

The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sexual preference, handicap or national origin.

HACP has revised its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFP documentation.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THE SOLICITATION. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement at (412) 456-5116 Opt 1.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH

ACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title II, the air ousing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1 , the Americans with isabilities Act, The PA uman Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS…THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

Support the publication that is ALWAYS focused on Pittsburgh’s African American community.

Subscribe to the Courier today by calling 412-481-8302, ext. 134

CLASSIFIEDS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 The Office of the County Controller of Allegheny County, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Contract Awards Room; 7th Floor; Commonwealth Keystone Building; 400 North Street; Harrisburg, PA 17120 will receive bids through ECMS or a diskette delivered to the aforementioned address until A.M. pre ailing local time hursday o ember 2021. Bids will be opened through ECMS at approximately A.M. and can be viewed publicly in the Contract Awards Room, for the following: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS 6TH STREET BRIDGE REHABILITATION ALLEGHENY COUNTY CO P O C O. A MPM O. THIS PROJECT WILL BE BID THROUGH PENNDOT ECMS As a prospective bidder, please note the following general Project data regarding: Pre Bid Information, Bidding Requirements, and Contract Conditions.

See the Project Manual and Drawings (Proposal Report) for detailed information, responsibilities and instructions.

PRE-BID INFORMATION: View the project Manual and Drawings (Proposal Report) on the PennDOT ECMS website (https www.ecms.penndot.go CM ) or in Room 504, County Office uilding, 54 orbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

BIDDING REQUIREMENTS: THIS PROJECT REQUIRES PREQUALIFICATION OF BIDDERS, INCLUDING SUBCONTRACTORS, AS SPECIFIED IN C O .

O COMMO A O P A A DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SPECIFICATIONS (PUBLICATION C O ) O P O C .A O MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH ECMS AND IF NEEDED ADDENDA B C O CA .

C O O B WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE PROPOSAL REPORT WHICH CAN BE O CM .

SUBMIT YOUR BID USING ECMS OR MAIL A DISKETTE TO THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, CONTRACTS A A OOM. CONTRACT CONDITIONS: U.S. Department of Labor minimum salaries and wages apply to this Project.

The County Manager reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The anticipated Notice-to-Proceed for this project is February 2, 2022 and the project is to be completed by December 21, 2023.

The County of Allegheny, in accordance with the Davis Bacon Act and other Federal Labor Standards Provisions; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of tat. . .C. d to d- and itle Code of ederal egulations epartment of ransportation ubtitle A Office of the Secretary, Part 21 Non-discrimination in Federally-assisted programs of the County of Allegheny issued pursuant to such Act; Executive Order 11246; Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of ection of the ousing and Community e elopment Act of 1974; and Executive Order 11625 (Utilization of Minority Business Enterprises), hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract pursuant to this advertisement, the County will afford disadvantaged business enterprises full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and the County will not discriminate against disadvantaged business enterprises on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. It is a condition of the bidding process/ contract that responsive bidders/contractors shall follow the disadvantaged business enterprise procedures in the Bidding and Contracting Documents.

Chelsa Wagner CONTROLLER COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY GENERAL WORKS PACKAGE AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT The Allegheny County Airport Authority is releasing a bid for “General Works Package” on Monday, September 20, 2021. Separate and sealed Bids will be received electronically at https flypittsburgh.bonfirehub.com on behalf of the Department of Procurement, Allegheny County Airport Authority, Pittsburgh International Airport, Landside Terminal, 4th Floor Mezzanine, PO Box 12370, Pittsburgh, PA 15231-0370.

The Allegheny County Airport Authority actively encourages business enterprises owned and operated by minorities or women to submit bids for Authority contracts and to participate as subcontractors of or suppliers to successful bidders.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Goal Overview Based on C itle ubtitle A Part ubpart C ection . (a)( )(C) ( - ) and ection . (a-c) of the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved DBE Program Plan (Apx. ) ACAA will implement, as necessary, special DBE contracting strategies to insure DBE participation. ACAA will impose a 30% DBE Participation goal for this Terminal Modernization Program (TMP) General Works Package.

TMP Workforce Goal Overview The ACAA is imposing an overall construction workforce goal of . minority and . women be established for the TMP, which is in alignment with both the ederal Office of Contract Compliance (OFCCP) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) based on Federal Executive Order of ept. , appear at 30 FR 12319, 12935, 3 CFR, Comp. p. , unless otherwise noted.

As a system of airports, we have connected our people and ourcommunities to the world for nearly 70 years - we appreciate and value the differences of culture, people, and perspectives. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just words; they are core principles, driven into every action we take and decision we make. We are setting out to change the paradigm of how we connect with our businesses, contractors, and partners. We are building linkages with our community to ensure contracting, bidding and hiring processes at ACAA are driven by equity-based principles and processes. We know the barriers to entry for small businesses, women and people of color are many. And we plan to break them down. We are moving past words and into actions. We are setting not just DBE goals; we are setting workforce goals. We want to see the people and the diversity of cultures of this region when we see the people who work for and at the airport.No organization alone can drive this kind of change. We are combining forces with our local workforce development organizations, our unions, our foundations to provide a pipeline of a prepared, diverse talent pool. We are putting disparate efforts together to build a complete system. Together, we are working on partnerships and new processes to help provide skills enhancement and training, transportation, childcare that help break down barriers. In that spirit of change, of doing thing right, of truly creating equal opportunities across the board, we seek to work with people, companies and partners that share and execute on this vision.

ACAA will collaborate with Partner4Work (P4W) to support the implementation of a workforce development strategy that supports the needs of ACAA, and the employers engaged through the Terminal Modernization Project, while advancing ACAA’s workforce diversity goal by connecting at least . minority and at least . women to these job opportunities. P4W will support the sourcing of diverse candidates into training programs that will allow them to gain the necessary skills and experience to successfully join a union directly connected to the TMP workforce needs.

For more information on our DBE and Workforce goals please contact Jenee’ Oliver, Manager, Business Development and Equity at oli er flypittsburgh.com ( )or Virginia Culbreath, DBE Program Administrator at culbreath flypittsburgh.com ( ).

General Works Package includes manpower, staffing, and other miscellaneous project needs to support the overall general conditions and general requirements of the project until completion. Items would include general labor, cleanup support, security and safety support, logistics and material handling, waste disposal, and other key elements of the project to make it a functioning construction site. id orms, Specifications and Instructions to Bidders may be had at the link above. If your company is not currently registered to submit bids electronically, please visit https flypittsburgh.bonfirehub.com portal tab openOpportunities No bidder may withdraw their bid for a period of sixty (60) days after the scheduled closing time from receipt of bids.

The Allegheny County Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

DOCUMENT 00030-AA ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania PROJECT NUMBER 21TE02 (ELECTRICAL) TMP TERMINAL - ELECTRICAL BID PACKAGE at PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ELECTRONIC BIDS & BID OPENING PROCEDURE: Electronic Bids will be received by the Allegheny County Airport Authority until P.M. prevailing local time, o ember .

Due to COVID-19 precautions, the ACAA is modifying its typical bid opening process; the formal bid opening procedure will be conducted virtually – any/ all firms submitting a id to the ACAA will be given special access to view the opening event. Once bidding is closed, any/all firms submitting a bid will be issued an Invitation (via email) to access the formal bid opening event via a live webcast. idders will also be notified of the results via an email within (24) hours of the Bid Opening event.

ACCESS TO BID PACKAGE DOCUMENTS: ALL BIDDERS shall be required to provide a completed formal Bid Document Request application in order to purchase bidding documents for any/ all of the above listed Project Numbers.

No bidding documents will be issued prior to the Authority’s Construction Manager having a copy of a fully completed e uest Application.

Bid Document Request Applications can be obtained by sending a Request to the following email address: MPBids flypittsburgh.com On the Subject Line, include the following: “Bid Documents Request – ( MP M A C CA ) .

Although documents will not be available until September 27, 2021, applications may be submitted prior to this date.

Once a bidder’s request has been received, provided it is complete, and provided the requesting party is not barred from bidding the work, the CM will provide access for the bidder to access and download the bid documents through Building Connected, a web-based bid management platform.

A PREBID CONFERENCE – Wednesday, October 6, 2021 – 10:00 AM (Bidders are strongly encouraged to re iew the plans prior to the meeting.) he meeting will be a Microsoft eams Meeting. o oin the meeting the following number can be called ( ) - nited tates ( oll- ree) Conference . Please email MPBids flypittsburgh. com to recei e the link to oin by computer.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not permit any Bidders to tour the site. In lieu thereof, the Construction Management Team (CM) will conduct a Virtual Prebid Meeting. In addition to addressing administration issues, a video tour of the work areas will be provided. Specific details on how interested Bidders can view this broadcast will be provided as part of the Bid Documents via Building Connected. Note that no questions can be asked during this Prebid Meeting. Any/all questions must be issued to the CM as an “RFI”.

There will be no site visits – photographs of the site will be included in the contract documents or issued ia addendum.

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (RFIs) Any/all questions related to this project must be made in writing to the CM. RFIs are to be sent to the CM via the Building Connected website.

BID SUBMISSION Proposals must be made on the Authority’s forms and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the “Instructions to Bidders”’.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not be accepting any hard copy bids for this Project. Accordingly, Electronic Bids are the only form that the ACAA will accept. While the Instructions to Bidders will provide more details, for an Electronic Bid to be accepted it must be sent through Building Connected and it must be received by no later than the established Bid Date and Time deadline.

OTHER ISSUES Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages as determined by the General Wage Determinations issued under the Davis-Bacon and related Acts must be paid on these projects.

This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania nified Certification Program (PAUCP). Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PAUCP web site: https paucp.dbesystem.com The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of one-hundred-twenty [120] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.

To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents, visit www.flypittsburgh.com under ACAA Corporate Business Opportunities or www.pittransformed.com Opportunities Business Opportunities.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY

The New Pittsburgh Courier....

Often Imitated.

NEVER Duplicated.

B9

Support the publication that is ALWAYS focused on Pittsburgh’s African American community.

Subscribe to the Courier today by calling 412-481-8302, ext. 134 Begin the new year with your very own subscription.

Call 412-4818302, ext.

136.

B10 SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021

METRO/SPORTS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

The ‘beatdown’ goes on Just what beat is Ben Roethlisberger marching to?

“The beat goes on, the beat goes on. Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain. La de da de de, la de da de da. Charleston was once the rage, uh huh. History has turned the page, uh huh. Teenybopper is our newborn king, uh huh.

And the beat goes on, the beat goes on. Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain, La de da de de, la de da de da...” (Lyrics from “The Beat Goes On” by Sonny and Cher) One of the most important elements in our existence is the component of rhythm. Without rhythm our hearts would beat erratically and sporadically, pumping too much blood throughout our bodies when we don’t need it and not enough blood when we do. Our lungs would also pump air like an uncontrolled pair of bellows without rhyme or reason.

Rhythm is a must at all times.

The Steelers began their 2021 regular season gin-

gerly marching along by defeating the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo. Many pundits consider that game a combination of the Bills underestimating and looking past the Steelers as well as Pittsburgh being just plain lucky.

Why? Well, because the Steelers have lost their following two games against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals looking like they were a marching band wearing two left shoes, along with a rhythm section using coffee cans as drums and toothpicks as drumsticks. Oh, did I fail to mention...the band looked as though they were following conductors that were using “street music” as opposed to sheet music.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is once again playing as if he is waiting for a cue from the conduc-

tor to start performing at the level of an average NFL signal-caller. No one is saying for him to perform like a top 10 QB but just to consistently land in the middle of the pack

portunity for young guys.

If we get into some of that, if I minimize Ben some tomorrow, it’s a great day for Mason Rudolph, it’s a great day for Dwayne Haskins to get elevated and get snaps

Inside Conditions

Aubrey Bruce somewhere.

After the Black and Yellow was beaten down by the Raiders, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had this to say about the left pec injury to “Big” Ben that occurred during that game.

“One man’s misfortune or the taking care of a veteran player is a growth op-

and grow as professionals.”

Well, if that were true, why wasn’t Mason Rudolph (in my opinion a Landry Jones clone) or Dwayne Haskins prepared to compete against the Bengals this past Sunday?

Roethlisberger was not ready, physically nor mentally, to compete against

the Bengals or any other NFL squad. The grooming process for a new starting QB for the Steelers should have begun years ago. “(Invisible) drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain.”

Ben Roethlisberger is not marching to the beat of his own drummer or marching to the beat of Matt Canada, his offensive coordinator, or the drums of his wide receivers. Hell. Roethlisberger just seems to be marching aimlessly to a rhythm that is not even discernible to the football gods.

Instead of marching toward the end zone; he seems to be marching head-first without delay, post-haste to the “Fedko Zone.”

A successor for Ben Roethlisberger must be selected and groomed now!

Not when he decides it or feels like it. He must be benched or pushed out if necessary. If the Pitts-

burgh Steelers are going to be forced to stomach defeat, let it be from the growing pains of the quarterback of the future as opposed to old folks’ pain being experienced by Ben Roethlisberger. Let the weather report inform us of a storm that is imminent as opposed to Ben Roethlisberger forecasting the weather as a result of an old injury. It is time, it has been time, now is the time for #7 to ride off into the sunset if he can get on the horse, before the sun goes down on a proud Pittsburgh Steelers season and franchise.

History is not kindly turning the page. Nope.

In case you might have missed it: “teenybopper quarterbacks are our newborn NFL kings.” Yep. If the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t change now, not only will the beat go on, the “beatdown” will go on and on and on... “La de da de de, la de da de da...”

OK…I’ll say it, but you’re thinking it! :10 — Call me crazy, and Lord knows I am not suggesting I know more that Coach Tomlin…like some of you want-a-bees…that never was! But if you have one of the best running backs in the draft who is strong with speed and quickness (and no, they’re not the same thing), why not forget about running him between the tackles since your O-Line is so bad, and run him outside wide so he can do work. I am just sayin! :09 — If you have a top-rated tight end from Penn State…where excellence is required, and he says out loud that he doesn’t drop passes…damnit…throw it to him! Not to mention Eric Ebron drops

everything thrown to him but an opportunity to say something to the media.

I’m just sayin! :08 — Yes, the O-Line is bad and will probably be bad another three or four games until they unify (don’t forget this new unit didn’t play together during the preseason). But…but… but Ben has got to cut his losses and get rid of the ball. I’m just sayin! :07 — Speaking of “Big Ben” …and I just was, if you’re paying attention here. If you’re sitting home in your jammies shouting, get Ben out!!!...Have yourself a flashback and be careful what you wish for.

I’m just sayin! :06 — Speaking of your opinion…and this time I

wasn’t. If in your limited calculations, the absence of T.J. Watt should not make this much difference in the

:05 — This just in. I don’t care who the field goal kicker is or how cute you think he is or what nick-

Overtime

Bill Neal quality of the defense... while you were sleeping last week Grampa, they gave him $80 million! Now you do the math. I’m just sayin!

name you give him. He or she…(what?) must make everything inside of 50 yards. Period. End of story.

You know, kind of like every other NFL team. I’m

just sayin! :04 — Now wait…just hold on there a minute, Sally. I love Cam Heyward as much as the next guy.

Maybe more because I had the pleasure of knowing his dad. But c’mon Cam, when are you going to bring the noise…I mean the real Black and Gold defensive line noise. AKA, “Mean” Joe Greene, Dwight “Mad Dog” White, LC “Hollywood Bags” Greenwood and Ernie “Fats” Holmes!!!

I’m just sayin! NO, I am really just sayin! :03 — You are correct about one thing, Junior…

Murphy’s Law was all over Heinz Field. “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” The good news about that means nothing

else can go wrong the rest of the season. I’m just sayin! :02 — Sorry, management and coaches, can’t let you off the hook. You got work to do. How about catching up to the rest of the league.

If I see one more jet sweep, I am going to end it all.

And it won’t be pretty. I’m just sayin! :01 — And this you can take to the bank…the Black and Gold will finish 11–6 in spite of what you’re seeing now. I am not just sayin it…I’m telling ya! :00 — At least we’re not Jacksonville…who said that?

GAME OVER.

The Courier isn’T jusT a newspaper. iT’s BLaCK

hisTorY.